REPARATIONS

Two of the greatest rock stars EVER and this was the best duet they could come up with?

Hey Mick, hey David. I'm still waiting for my apology.

"I KNEW IT WAS YOU, 'FREDO!"

He starred in only five films, but those films are:

The Godfather
The Godfather, Part II
Dog Day Afternoon
The Conversation
The Deer Hunter

They also just happen to be five of the best films of the 1970's.

John Cazale is his name and any actor worth his salt would give his eye teeth to have just one of these films on his resume. Tragically, John died of Bone Cancer, right before the release of "The Deer Hunter." He was 42.

A documentary on his short but amazing career will premiere on HBO June 1. This is appointment TV for any true film fan.

IT'S THE TIME OF SEASON FOR . . .

. . . Cherries.

I just bought my first batch of Cherries this season and I can't wait to dive in.

THE MOST RIDICULOUS CITY IN THE WORLD IS . . .

. . . San Francisco (yet again).

It's strange to me how city residents complain (and rightfully so) about trash-covered, vomit and urine-soaked sidewalks, yet we are not only expected to tolerate all that and more on one particular day because "it's the Bay to Breakers Race," but we are then force-fed the ridiculous fallback excuse "that's the spirit of San Francisco" (i.e. I'm going to do what I want to do, others be damned).

So, thanks to that line of thinking, ING announced yesterday that after five years, it will no longer sponsor the event. The charity fundraising race has lost money over the last several years, as less than half of the "runners" actually bother to sign up and pay the entry fee (including mayor Gavin Newsom - way to set an example, Gav). ING has also suffered years of bad press because of the trash/urine issues AND has had to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to pay for port-a-potty rentals, street cleaning fees, and trash removal.

Also, because of the time frame and the "issues" involved with putting on this event, it's not likely that next year's race (it's 100th, by the way) will happen. Besides, I can't imagine any company wanting to attach it's name to this Albatross, anyway.

Thanks again, San Francisco. I don't know how you do it, but you consistently seem to outdo yourself, every time.

THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT

Although there have been many variations throughout history, the "BRA" as we know it today, officially turns 100 this week.

A CITY SO NICE, HE'S BLOGGING IT TWICE

Congratulations to New York.

The "Gotham City" was today awarded the 2014 Super Bowl. The game is to be played at the home of both the New York Giants and the New York Jets, the recently rebuilt (and rumored resting place of union leader Jimmy Hoffa) Meadowlands Stadium.

Although, technically, I should congratulate New Jersey, as the stadium is located in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

THE CURSE OF THE BAMBINO

The Yankees baseball organization announced that iPADS are not welcome in Yankee Stadium.

At first, I was very excited that my favourite baseball team was banning the latest piece of crap from CrApple, but it seems that they consider them laptops, which are also not allowed in the home of the World Series champions, 27 times over.

Good.

CURTAIN CALL

I woke up to a sad Facebook posting this morning that a friend of mine had passed away. His name was Michael Kuchwara, theater critic for the news wire service Associated Press.

Whenever I think of Mike, I always go to the night he took me along to the Papermill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey. He was going to review their production of Stephen Sondheim's "Follies," which was being considered as a possible Broadway revival (which ultimately did not happen).

"Tonight is a very important night in your musical theater education," he told me.

It was customary that Mike be given two tickets to whatever show he was going review (two on the aisle). He was very generous with that second ticket and because of that generosity, I got to see many shows (on and off Broadway), as his guest. Mike was also very encouraging in my desire to be a writer and seemed to take great pleasure in watching me taking in all that "The Theatah" had to offer. He was always especially amused when I would (often) confuse Dorothy Louden with Dorothy Lyman.

As is tradition, the lights of Broadway will be dimmed on May 25th for 1 minute (at 7pm). So fitting for a gentlemen who truly LOVED "The Theatah."

Thanks, Mike. You were a highly respected part of the Broadway community, and helped make New York City an even more special place to me than it already was.

IN MEMORIUM

The Gulf of Mexico

The beginning of time - 2010

You will be missed.

PARIS WHEN IT SIZZLES

It's been ten years since my last visit to the "City of Lights" and I'm feeling the need to go back . . .

. . . SOON!

PICTURE THIS

The sky above Saturn Street earlier this afternoon.

BOY, THE UNIVERSE IS SOME TRICKY SHIT

With the extra time on my hands since being placed on a "Furlough Friday" schedule a few weeks back, I've been a bit more introspective and thinking heavily on what I need to do to move up to the next level. I've also been walking around town a lot more, as well.

So, while on one of those walks earlier this afternoon, I was in deep thought about my situation and what I want AND need to do to change it. Feeling a bit unsure about my goal and wondering if I was just fooling myself, I happened to look down at that exact moment and saw this message scratched into the sidewalk.

Alright, Universe, I hear you.

A CLASSIC REDISCOVERED

It's been YEARS since I listened to this classic album. Now it's on my ipod and I'm loving it all over again.

MISTY WATER-COLORED MEMORIES

It's still so hard to believe that the Embarcadero Freeway (Interstate 480) once existed. What's even harder to believe is that the original plan was to have it run along the waterfront, through the Marina District, eventually connecting with the Golden Gate Bridge (Highway 101) to the north.

Doesn't even look like San Francisco.

THOSE WERE THE DAYS

On April 3, 2000 (while I was still living the dream in Manhattan), I was stopped on the street by a reporter from Time Magazine, who wanted to ask me a question regarding evolution (in conjunction with their Visions of the 21st Century issue)

The question asked was if I thought we were going to continue to evolve as a race or had we reached the end of that evolution.

I replied "What do mean, like grow a third eye or a tail?" (insert New York accent here)

She laughed, took my picture and a week later, there I was on the (then new) Internet.

DOES THIS MAKE ME LOOK FAT?

A Cheeseburger-flavoured tortilla chip?

I think I'm going to be sick.

(SIGH)

It's the story of four post-menopausal hags who go to a foreign country to get drunk and get laid.

Why, oh why is this necessary?

SILENCE IS GOLDEN

" . . . Polanksi is an artist and is a nice person who did something wrong and he paid for it" - Woody Allen on Roman Polanski's legal troubles.

I'm not a betting man but if I were, I'd say it was a safe bet that the thought bubble over Roman Polanksi's head right now says "Thanks, Woody, but you're the last person who should be speaking in my defense."

SEXERCISE

Back in the early 80's, Showtime used to broadcast these 3 to 5 minute videos called Aerobicise between their late night movies. They always featured two or three women on a slow-spin turntable exercising to a disco beat. I use that term "exercising" loosely because while heart rates may have been increasing, it had nothing to do with the exercises being demonstrated.

Heavily made up, coiffed and staring seductively into the soft-focused camera with their glossy, bee-stung porno lips (and usually on their knees), it made for an amusingly pleasurable viewing experience.

STUPID STUFF STUPID WHITE PEOPLE LIKE

Waiting in lines (still).

This was taken across the street from the Bi-Rite Creamery on 18th and Dolores Streets.

Seriously, folks. It's just ice cream (and over-priced ice cream at that).

IT'S THE TIME OF THE SEASON FOR . . .

. . . biking.

Today was my first ride of the season along my favourite bike trail, The Iron Horse Trail.

Located in the Eastbay, it's a former Southern Pacific Railroad line that was abandoned in the 70's and turned into a jog/bike trail. Running between the Concord and Dublin BART stations, it's 24 miles of biking heaven.

PEACE, LOVE, AND SOUL

I love that legendary R&B dance show "Soul Train" is back on television (channel 330 on DirectTV).

SUPERSTAR IN A HOUSEDRESS

"Jackie was just speeding away, thought she was James Dean for a day"

- Lou Reed, "Take a Walk on the Wild Side"

Candy Darling was the pretty one, Holly Woodlawn was the funny one (I met her and it's true, she is a HOOT), but Jackie Curtis was the smartest and most talented.

Jackie is my favourite of the Warhol Superstars . . . well, her and Edie Sedgewick.

THE MOST RIDICULOUS CITY IN THE WORLD IS . . .

. . . San Francisco (again).

I read an article on SFGATE yesterday about how MUNI has temporarily stopped using it's fare enforcement saturation program. It seems that some passengers have mistaken the transit workers as immigration officers and MUNI officials were concerned that the presence of these officers might offend those passengers.

WTF?

Also, at a recent MTA hearing, riders complained that enforcement seemed to be selective (no evidence was presented to back up this claim), and that "because of the increased cost of riding MUNI, people who can't afford to pay don't deserve to be harassed."

WTF?

So someone skips paying the fare and when they get caught, it's considered racist AND harassment because they get a citation for breaking the law? Oh wait, I can see it now - "I can't afford to buy food anymore, so I'm going to steal it and you can't arrest me because I don't deserve to be harassed because of the increased cost of food."

Just because you can't afford the fare doesn't give you the right to ride the bus for free. MUNI not a free transportation service.

Ride a bike or walk, you whiny losers.

SILENCE IS GOLDEN

Our former supreme leader Dick Cheney waited until he was termed out of office before he came out in favour of gay marriage (while serving in his underground bunker, he maintained that it was a 'states issue').

Now, former First Lady Laura Bush has "come out" with the same opinion as well, saying on CNN's Larry King that she supports gay marriage.

"When couples are committed to each other and love each other, they ought to have the same sort of rights that everyone has."

I suppose it's nice to hear that from another Republican (especially one that lived in the White House), but it could have had more impact if she had said that while she was living on Pennsylvania Avenue.

Mrs. Bush also went on to say that she is pro-choice as well.

Hmmm, very interesting.

STEP AWAY FROM THE TREE OR I'LL CUT YA!

Fellow choir nerd Heidi is the winner of the much-coveted "Pooper Scooper" shout-out for this hilarious picture she took at Strybing Arboretum today.

JAGGED LITTLE PILL

Birthday wishes to the Birth Control Pill. It turned 50 on May 9th, which this year, was Mother's Day.

Isn't it ironic, don't you think?

IN A PARALLEL UNIVERSE

I am driving this 1964 Aston Martin DB5 though Gstaad, Switzerland, just as James Bond is doing here in the classic (and best one in the ENTIRE series) Goldfinger.

PICTURE THIS

These are a few of the shots I took during a pretty intense hike up the Matt Davis Trail, just above Stinson Beach, in Marin County.

FEED ME, SEYMOUR

This was my order on Saturday, before a three hour hike that was taken on the Matt Davis Trail, just above Stinson Beach.

Scott 1, Scott 2, Matt, and Keko had brunch at Horizons, on Bridgeway in Sausalito. Scott 1 had the Fish Tacos (the fish was Talapia), which were served on a small bed of Cabbage, along with Cilantro, a light squeeze of Chipotle sauce, and wrapped up in three warm soft corn tortillas. Sides of Pico de Gallo and Guacamole were included (I skipped on the Sour Cream).

Absolutely delicious.

FIGHT THE ENEMY

It's what Irish singer Sinead O'Connor exclaimed as she tore a picture of Pope John Paul II following a performance on Saturday Night Live.

Who would have thought after all these years that she was right?

STRAWBERRY-TUMOR SHORTCAKE

Methyl Iodide is a gas who's cancer-causing ingredients are so powerful that scientists inject it into laboratory rats for medical studies because it so reliably grows tumors.

I am amazed (and quite nervous) that Methyl Iodide is still being considered by Sacramento for use as a pesticide on Strawberries.

I read about this on SFGATE. Please follow the links provided because the state is accepting public comments until June 14th.

BACK TO THE FUTURE

If the The Psychedelic Furs and The Human League had a child, that child would be named M83.

Last night, I added their 2008 release Saturdays = Youth to my musical collection and much like Goldfrapp's recently released Head First (another recent purchase that I am quite happy with), listening to this album is like getting a big, warm hug from 1983.

I am absolutely smitten with Saturdays = Youth.

Another spot-on recommendation from Ryan.

¡BOLA DEL JUEGO!

I usually don't support boycotts because more often than not, they don't really work. Besides, how do you boycott an entire state, especially after you've booked a non-refundable spa weekend at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess?

What's a 5-star spa whore supposed to do?

I don't support San Francisco Supervisor and douche bag Chris Daly either, but he's come up with an idea that I kind of like. In fact, I like it a lot.

He's asked that the San Francisco Giants wear their Spanish uniforms when they play the Arizona Diamondbacks (they have a three game series with the former World Series champions at the end of this month).

Sounds like a great way to thow up the middle finger at Arizona (especially if these games are televised) and I just might have to run out and get myself a "GIGANTES" shirt.

PICTURE THIS

A nice grouping of wildflowers for your viewing pleasure. Taken along the Rodeo Valley trail in Marin yesterday.

SCOTT'S GLUTINOUS BALLS

Seriously, that's what they're called, Glutinous Balls.

After a terrific dinner at Yummy Yummy on Irving Street, Scott, Lara, and I moved on to some Chinese dessert joint on 7th Avenue between Geary and Clement. Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook was with us as well (only at Yummy Yummy, and yes, we facebooked that as our status).

These balls come in a variety of flavours.

That's what she said (rimshot).

TAP THIS

At the 2008 Vice-Presidential debate, Joe Biden reminded voters that John McCain had voted 20 times against funding for alternative energy sources, like wind and solar. In response, Sarah Palin said " . . . the chant is 'Drill, Baby, Drill' and that's what we hear around this country in our rallies because people are so hungry for those domestic sources of energy to be tapped into."

Well, I hope that Palin, McCain, and everyone else who screamed this ridiculous mantra are going to bring their "Drill, Baby, Drill" t-shirts down to Louisiana and use them to help clean the coastline.

FIRST DATE SWEATER

I love my new Michael Kors dip-dye sweater.

PICTURE THIS

Nothing fancy or anything, but I took this shot just above the Sanchez Steps earlier this afternoon.