Tag Archives: San Francisco
‘Boy Scouts: Don’t let your anti-gay policy deny my son his Eagle award’
A friend of mine brought this story to my attention and asked that I share it with all of you. Obviously, the mistreatment of homosexuals is something that I am particularly interested in changing, and this mother’s plea is rather touching. Ryan’s mother, Karen Andresen, is looking for people to help her son acquire his Eagle award, which he has earned. Below is Mrs. Andersen’s letter and a link to sign the petition. Please read and I urge you to help this young man by showing him the compassion of his peers is stronger than the hate of those who disagree with who he is.
My son Ryan needs your help.
Ryan joined the Boy Scouts when he was just six years old, and since then, he’s dreamed of earning his Eagle award — the highest rank in the Boy Scouts.
Ryan is now a senior in high school, and just completed the final requirements to earn his Eagle Award. He’s an honor student with great SAT scores, who’s hoping to attend the University of San Francisco. But because he recently came out to his friends and family as gay, leaders from our local Boy Scout troop say they won’t approve his Eagle award.
A Boy Scout gets his Eagle by earning many badges, completing all lower Scout rank requirements, and carrying out an approved final project. So Ryan decided to build a “Tolerance Wall” for his school, to show bully victims — like Ryan — that they are not alone. Ryan worked countless hours with elementary students to amass a wall of 288 unique tiles, all illustrating acts of kindness.
But when leadership in Troop 212 (San Francisco Bay Area) found out that Ryan was gay, the Scoutmaster said he refused to sign the official paperwork designating Ryan as an Eagle Scout, despite the fact that Ryan completed all of the requirements.
Many troops around the country are standing up, choosing to reject the Boy Scouts’ discriminatory policy. I sincerely hope that Ryan’s troop will become one of them. And with your help, they just might.
It hurts me so much to watch Ryan suffer for being who he is, because to me, he’s perfect. Ryan has worked for nearly 12 years to become an Eagle Scout, and nothing would make him more proud than earning that well-deserved distinction. I hope that if enough people come together, we can convince my son’s troop leaders to help him feel proud of who he is and all he’s accomplished.
“Citizenship in the Community,” a merit badge earned, means standing up for what is right, and I am proud of Ryan for doing just that. Will you stand with him too, and join this campaign?
Petition Letter
Ryan joined the Boy Scouts when he was just six years old, and since then, he’s dreamed of earning his Eagle award — the highest rank in the Boy Scouts.
Ryan is now a senior in high school, and just completed the final requirements to earn his Eagle Award. He’s an honor student with great SAT scores, who’s hoping to attend the University of San Francisco. But because he recently came out to his friends and family as gay, leaders from your troop say they won’t approve his Eagle award.
This is unfair and wrong.
A Scout earns his Eagle by earning many badges, completing all lower Scout rank requirements, and carrying out an approved final project. So Ryan decided to build a “Tolerance Wall” for his school, to show bully victims — like Ryan — that they are not alone. Ryan worked countless hours with elementary students to amass a wall of 288 unique tiles, all illustrating acts of kindness.
Many troops around the country are standing up, choosing to reject the Boy Scouts’ discriminatory policy. I sincerely hope that Ryan’s troop — Troop 212 — will become one of them.
“Citizenship in the Community,” a merit badge earned, means standing up for what is right, and I am proud of Ryan for doing just that. Will you stand with him, too?
Sincerely,
[Your name]
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[UPDATE] Drunk Woman Attacks Local Restaurant Man With Stiletto and Cracks His Skull (San Francisco)
UPDATE: April 11th, 2012 @ 1:05 PM – The suspect has been identified thanks to the internet and social networking. The police are moving forward with an investigation and updates will follow if I hear any more information in regards to the situation and/or the suspect’s name.
Matt Meidinger, the general manager at Jasper’s Corner Tap & Kitchen and the former manager at Clock Bar is trying to find a belligerently drunk woman who slammed her stiletto onto his head before fleeing the scene in a cab. You would think everything would be fine, but Meidinger spent the night in the Emergency Room (or at least he tweeted that he did) on Saturday evening. He also stated that the reason for his ER visit was because the drunk blonde “cracked [his] skull”.
Grub Street contacted the victim, Matt Meidinger, who wrote into them and explained his side of the story, which happened outside the Balboa Café, and in front of several witnesses.
We wrapped up our one beer at Balboa and walked out to try and grab a cab. While standing there a woman (who I understand to have also just left Balboa) bent down to take off her black Louboutin‘s and put on flip flops for the trip home. As she was doing this (in the middle of a very busy sidewalk) a man passing by accidentally kicked one of her shoes. Not down the street or anything, just bumped it with his own shoe. She started yelling at him and as he turned around to apologize with his hands already up in the air a good sized man with her punched him! I was standing a few feet away and watched the whole thing happen. I spoke up and said, “Whoa! Take it easy! Kicking a shoe doesn’t equal a punch in the face, Louboutin’s or not!” As the guy turned around to tell me to mind my own business the woman ran up and said, “Yes, it does!” and came down on top of my head with her heels. Blood immediately started pouring down the left side of my face so I pulled out my phone and called the police. At that point another of her guys (she was with two men, both early 30′s between 6’2″ and 6’5″, 230-260lbs) ran over and told me to get off the phone. I said no and started to back away. He then punched me, grabbed my phone from me and threw it across the street. A random man on the street ran up and gave me his phone at that time insisting that I call the police back (This guy stayed the whole time, gave a thorough statement and did all he could to help. I don’t know his name, but I owe him a big thank you). At this point the two guys had both started fights with my two friends while I was running around on a strangers phone with the police while trying to keep an eye on the woman who was frantically running away. In the confusion, all three of them got away before the police had a chance to arrive.
Obviously, he is trying to find any information he cane, because someone has to cover the hospital bill as well as take responsibility for cracking a guy’s skull with her damn stiletto. It’s pretty impressive that she was able to hit him so hard, considering how drunk (according to many) she was. If you have any information at all, let Meidinger know, you can Contact him here. He’s offering a $500 reward.
Related articles
- Local Bartender Learns Just How Uncomfortable High Heels Are (blogs.sfweekly.com)
- India Introduces Stylish Stilettos for Men (odditycentral.com)
- TOP 10: Moments in Louboutin History (runningwithheels.com)
- Shoe Guru’s Chronicles: These Heels Were Made For Walking (bestylish.com)
- All About Women’s Stilettos! Everything You Wanted to Know About Stilettos (slideshare.net)
- Drunk & Sticky: Best Bits Of Anthony Bourdain’s S.F. ‘Layover’ (sfist.com)
- [VIDEO] Drunk Man Provides Entertainment For Disneyland Guests (practikel.com)
[VIDEO] Snoop Dogg’s ‘Rolling Words’: Smokable Book
Snoop Dogg has released this video for ‘Rolling Words’ to help promote his own line of King Size Rolling Papers created by San Francisco agency Pereira & O’Dell. Right now, the book is only being offered for elite distribution (whatever the hell that means), but they are considering a limited edition version as well, to be sold online.
If you’re going to Coachella though, you may get the opportunity to sample the papers before the release of the book. So, be sure to look for the posters (photo example below) that will have some of the samples attached and are free for music concert guests to detach on their own. In the meantime, I’ll be anxiously waiting to get my hands on my very own copy of ‘Rolling Words’… if and when it becomes available.
Rolling Words: Snoop Dogg’s Smokable Book from Projeto Winner on Vimeo.
Coachella Poster
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- New Snoop Dogg songbook can be smoked (literally!) (lostateminor.com)
- Snoop Dogg – Rolling Words Smokable Songbook | Video (freshnessmag.com)
- Snoop Dogg Invites You To Read His Lyrics Just Before Burning One With “Rolling Words” (fastcocreate.com)
- Hunting Weed, Inventing Love, and Snoop Dogg Has The Single Best Idea of All Time (NSFW) [Video] (gizmodo.com)
- Snoop Dogg Making a Reggae Album With Diplo (5min.com)
- Snoop Dogg Buys His Daughter a Shiny New Music Video [Video] (jezebel.com)
[VIDEO] People In Motion
Although this is just the trailer, it makes me look forward to the release of ‘People In Motion’ and I hope it makes you do the same. Enjoy!
People in Motion from cedric dahl on Vimeo.
Trailer for a film we’ve been working on, People in Motion
We traveled the west coast with 5 creative characters who shared a passion for movement. This film documents the experience over 9 months. It was life changing.
Seattle Time Lapse by Edvard Brun
San Francisco Time Lapse via WTK Photography
Burning Man Time Lapse courtesy of James Cole
Original music by Alex Bornstein
Athletes [in order of appearance]
Paul Whitecotton
David Agajanian
Jacob Raul Seil
Lonnie Tisdale
Brian Orosco
Special thanks to the Burning Man Organization
If you’d like, you can get it @ PeopleInMotionMovie.com
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[VIDEO] Celebrity Remake Of MC Hammer’s ’2 Legit 2 Quit’ Video Endorsing Ed Lee For Mayor Of San Francisco
Ed Lee is a lucky man who has gained the attention of many influential people who have put together quite an amazing video endorsing Mr. Lee for Mayor of San Francisco, CA. Some of the people who are seen in the above video include: MC hammer, Will.i.am from The Black Eyed Peas, a Google senior executive, a YouTube director and one of the founders of Twitter. In the age of technology and social media, this is a great promotional tool, especially for the younger generations.
The advert, which is not sponsored by the mayor, tells voters to ‘Fear the Moustache’. It’s a play on ‘Fear the Beard’, the slogan of San Francisco Giants pitcher Brian Wilson, who also features.
Aaron McLear is the man behind the video and a San Franciscan who is a part of the Jobs and Good Government group. McLear told the San Francisco Chronicle that ‘It’s an endorsement – but it’s a totally innovative way to do it.’
The independent group is led by Silicon Valley investor Ron Conway, and the video also features former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, Marissa Mayer of Google and YouTube’s Hunter Walk.
The endorsement has come because the technology industry wants to remind voters that Mayor Lee has backed their growth and job creation in San Francisco, Mr McLear said.
He added that voters are more likely to be reached by this sort of YouTube viral advertisement, rather than through the post or on television.
In addition, the video cost the group just $18,000 to make – compared to a television advert that might cost around $200,000 a week to air – because all the stars involved did it for free.
It is awesome to see celebrities and political advocates coming together and supporting someone they believe in, not for the money, but because they truly want to stand and promote who they have believe will do the job the way they feel it should be done. This was not only smart and inventive, but I believe this will help to boost Mr. Ed Lee’s following significantly.
Related articles
- Ron Conway, Marissa Mayer, MC Hammer And Others Endorse SF Mayoral Candidate Ed Lee In Amazingly Silly Video (techcrunch.com)
- Ed Lee. Too Legit To Quit. (edlee.ca)
- WATCH: Brian Wilson, MC Hammer, Other Celebs Say Ed Lee Is ‘Too Legit To Quit’ (huffingtonpost.com)
Hell Yeah! Southern California Will Not Listen To The Federal Government In Regards To Medical Marijuana And Pushes Forward To Employ More Citizens!
The California economy, along with the rest of the United States of America, is suffering extreme debt and one of the greatest protests in regards to economics and democracy of its time.
Medical Marijuana not only has the ability to offer an alternate way of managing pain for those that are dealing with many different issues, but it would also have the capability of providing extreme finances for multiple small businesses, distributors, growers, and virtually every other branch in our economy.
When you think about the job openings that would be available due to the fact that we were able to legally grow, distribute and sell a product that cost very little to create, I don’t understand how this is not a viable solution. And lets stop pretending that marijuana is a harmful drug. This, like denying evolution, is a ridiculous claim and very ignorant in my opinion. You can act stupid and choose to be uninformed all you want, but the facts have come to light, and marijuana would be a much better “drug” to legalize than alcohol or even tobacco cigarettes. It could also be regulated by the federal government and taxed, which is not happening at this time, and is allowing people to pocket money (that could go to our nationwide debt) and possibly illegally sell a product that could be very harmful.
Well, I know it IS a viable solution, but not allowing corporations to monopolize on our economic downfall seems like something no one is willing to stand up against. Oh wait, yes, Occupy Wall Street is doing precisely this. Luckily, so is the medical marijuana community in Southern California; They are refusing to give in to the demands of a government that has refused to listen to the demands of its citizens.
Despite the threat of a crackdown by federal authorities, California medical marijuana sellers have brazenly forged ahead with the first ever medical marijuana job fair.
Defying federal judges’ calls for an outright ban, the West Coast Cannabis Expo, a gathering of medical marijuana growers and sellers went ahead with no sign of law enforcement officials.
At a time when many Americans are struggling to make ends meet in the face of job losses, medical marijuana is providing growing work opportunities.
Shut down? A worker at a San Francisco medical marijuana dispensary weighs out an amount of cannabis for a patient
One seller, named only as Larry, told CBS News he gets 10 job applications a day.
Larry said: ‘This industry is growing and it’s going to continue to grow. A lot of good things are going to happen for a lot of people.’
Bob Calkin, CEO of CannaJobs, and of the Cannabis Career Institute, said that there were increasing job opportunities.
‘Most of the people coming to the classes are retired people or people from another line of work, or business that have either crashed like the real-estate market or some other thing they’re leaving and they want to try something new,’ Calkin said.
STATE LAW
Under state law, the California Compassionate Use Act of 1996 patients and their ‘primary caregivers’ are protected from criminal prosecution under state law for personal possession and cultivation of marijuana, but NOT for distribution or sale to others.
FEDERAL LAW
Possession, sale, distribution and transportation of marijuana, medical or otherwise, remain completely illegal under federal law.
Under the U.S. Controlled Substances Act (CSA), marijuana is currently classified as a Schedule I drug, meaning that it has no accepted medical use.
For more from this article, CLICK HERE
Related articles
- Calif. braces for medical marijuana crackdown (cbsnews.com)
- Obama’s Multi-Agency War on Medical Marijuana (justsaynow.firedoglake.com)
- Make No Mistake: The Feds Are Coming After Medical Marijuana (sfist.com)
- California Marijuana Dispensaries Targeted For Closure By Federal Prosecutors (huffingtonpost.com)
Bradford Wells And Anthony John Makk, San Francisco Gay Married Couple, Split By Deportation
Huffington Post – The Obama administration publicly announced Monday that it has denied immigration rights to Bradford Wells and Anthony John Makk — a gay couple in San Francisco that has been married for seven years — and ordered the deportation of Makk to his native Australia, according to SFGate. Makk applied for permanent residency as a spouse of a U.S. citizen when his visa expired, but he was denied, as his same-sex marriage is not federally recognized.
Makk is the primary caregiver to Wells, who suffers from AIDS. The couple has lived together for 19 years and legally married in Massachusetts in 2004.
Although President Obama announced just last month that he would fight to repeal the controversial Defense of Marriage Act that bans same-sex marriage, his administration cited that very act in the decision.
Until the act is repealed, the White House has vowed to enforce it on a case-by-case basis. In this case, Makk has lived in the United States for more than 20 years, owns a San Francisco business, has no criminal history, has never lived here illegally and is the primary caregiver to his husband.
The timing of the deportation is especially stressful for the ailing Wells, who suffers from advanced AIDS and was rushed to the emergency room in June with symptoms of a heart attack, according to SFWeekly. Wells could join Makk in Australia, but he would be forced to give up his medical insurance.
Wells expressed his frustration to SFGate:
I’m married just like any other married person in this country. At this point, the government can come in and take my husband and deport him. It’s infuriating. It’s upsetting. I have no power, no right to keep my husband in this country. I love this country, I live here, I pay taxes and I have no right to share my home with the person I married. Anyone can identify with the horror of having the government come in and destroy your family when you’ve done nothing wrong, and you’ve done everything right, followed every law.
Makk will be forced to leave the country by August 25.
UPDATE: On Tuesday afternoon, Anthony John Makk and Bradford Wells announced that they will be appealing their Defense of Marriage Act visa denial, as reported by SF Weekly. SF Weekly also reported that Nancy Pelosi has reached out to urge the Obama administration to reconsider the decision. Her office released the following statement: “Leader Pelosi has formally contacted USCIS on behalf of her constituents and will be working to exhaust all appropriate immigration remedies that are currently open to pursue.”
Pilot Beaten By Two Brothers
Jonathan and Luis Baez were on a plane that was scheduled to go from Miami, FL to San Francisco, CA. When the flight attendants were “taxiing on the runway and a flight attendant noticed that 27-year-old Jonathan Baez was asleep and not wearing a seat belt. The attendant attempted to wake him up, but he was unresponsive and appeared to be intoxicated or medicated.”
As Jonathan barely complied with the pilot of the plane, who told him he needed to get off, the brother Luis decided that he wanted to intervene. He decided to threaten the pilot, “When you fly to San Juan, I will have you killed.” Both “brothers are from Las Piedras, Puerto Rico.”
The pilot stayed behind as both men were escorted off the plane, but Jonathan returned, striking the pilot in the face with his fist. Another flight attendant tried to intervene, but was hit in the shoulder. Then, both men began beating the pilot with their fists, striking his chest and chasing him into the terminal where they continued to assault him.
The men were eventually detained by flight crew members and some passengers on the flight.
The poor pilot had bruising on his face along with multiple lacerations. He was replaced on this flight, which ended up taking off 2 hours after the scheduled flight time.
Jonathan Baez was held Thursday on $9,000 bond on charges of battery and aggravated battery. Luis Baez was held on $12,500 bond on charges of aggravated assault and aggravated battery.
Lesbians Kicked Out of SF Museum For Holding Hands
A Jewish Museum was having a Gertrude Stein exhibit and two lesbians had decided that they wanted to go and check this out. As they were walking in, holding hands, a security guard had told them that they could not go in while holding hands.
The couple was obviously upset and refused to comply with his request to stop the hand holding. They asked to speak with an authority, and by now a crowd was forming. Seeing as the crowd was getting bigger and on the side of two women who were in love and didn’t feel they should have to hide that in a museum, they have won this battle. The Jewish Museum has “asked that the private company that runs their security reprimand the guard”.
It seems odd to me that a guard working in San Francisco would think that a museum wouldn’t allow a lesbian couple to hold hands while enjoying the exhibit. Maybe the museum was actually more involved in the discrimination than we k. I mean, they asked that the guard be “reprimanded”?! Sad that in one of the places where homosexuals feel comfortable they still face such hatred and judgment.
While it seems that the gay community is still making many advancements, the homophobia is still a common threat here in the United States. Hopefully one day we’ll be able to walk around, holding hands, without the fear that someone will not allow us into a venue. This attitude has even made me a coward. Instead of facing the looks or words that may be cruel and unjust, I simply unlatch hands and walk as a straight female. I know this is wrong and I should be able to act as I choose, but society has made me fearful and that’s not fair.
Bernal Heights Prints Own Currency
Bernal Heights Prints Own Currency.
San Francisco residents of Bernal Heights have a new form of currency, and it’s keeping local businesses running. Although when I first started reading this article, I was a little skeptical, it actually seems like a great idea. I wish more cities would do this to encourage local spending. way to go Bernal Heights!
For the full article, visit the link above.