ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS

Of course there would be an Absolutely Fabulous / London Olympics smash-up.

Absolutely brilliant.

PEANUTS AND CRACKER JACK

I came across these Yankees Pez dispensers at Shaw's Candies on West Portal a few days back. Why I didn't buy them when I was there is lost on me.

Me likey a lot!

FOOT IN MOUTH DISEASE

"As you come here and you see the GDP per capita, for instance, in Israel which is about $21,000, and compare that with the GDP per capita just across the areas managed by the Palestinian Authority, which is more like $10,000 per capita, you notice such a dramatically stark difference in economic vitality . . . And as I come here and I look out over this city and consider the accomplishments of the people of this nation, I recognize the power of at least culture and a few other things."

-- Mitt Romney, in a speech given earlier today in Israel

So he managed to piss off most of London, and now he's done the same with the Palestinians.

Actually, I think he's pissed off ALL of the Palestinians.

You know, I'm not a betting man, but I think it's a safe bet that he's gonna let slip a really bad polish joke while he's visiting Poland.

STERN GROVE

I managed to make my way over to Stern Grove yesterday, for the free performance of the San Francisco Ballet.

Having never seen ANY ballet performance before, I gotta say, I'm hooked. If I ever find a job, I plan to catch a few performances on their home stage at the San Francisco War Memorial Opera House.

Stern Grove is celebrating it's 75th season and is definitely worth a visit.

SOLE DESIRE

I may have posted these awesome boots before but can't remember, so excuse the senior moment. Anyway, I am SO loving these, so if anyone out there is feeling generous, size 8.5 works for me.

Thank you in advance.

PICTURE THIS

Moo

Stow Lake

top of Stow Lake Island

Conservatory of Flowers

Yesterday's two urban hikes (Alemany Farmers Market in the morning, Golden Gate Park later in the afternoon) came in at 12.6 miles, and here's some of what I captured on the Droid Pro.

SUNDAY SERVICES

GAME OVER

"No matter what your political ideology is, you have to admit Romney saved the Olympics.” 

-- Bob Costas

Huh?

As far as I've seen in the news, the presumed Republican nominee for President has done nothing but insert his foot into his mouth and piss off nearly everyone in London with his comments about the so-called lack of security surrounding the games.

FELIZ ANIVERSARIO

It was on this date back in 2009 when we switched on the lights in the offices of The Steaming Poop blog for the first time, and we haven't looked back since.

Thanks again for reading.

NECESITAMOS DINERO

So, word on the street is that the California State Republican Party is so deep in the red that it has laid off a few staffers, asked others to take pay cuts, and is rumored to be considering cutting health insurance payments for those who continue to be on staff.

Cutting health insurance payments, huh? Oh, that is rich.

It is especially amusing to hear the national party and Mitt Romney's campaign have not reached out to set up some sort of partnership to help with fundraising. SFGate's fine political writer Carla Marinucci goes into greater detail, check out the story here.

SOLE DESIRE

Oh. My. God.

I fucking love these shoes, so if anyone out there is feeling generous, size 8.5 works for me.

Thank you in advance.

8 SIMPLE RULES

Having just been put through the ringer for a job over the last week (one that I eventually did not get), here are some important rules that, had they been followed, could have saved some time that was wasted, could have saved me a few bucks, and would not have created any false hope:

1. Don't end the interview with "We would be so lucky to have you as our copywriter," it creates false hope.

2. Don't email a style guide to anyone you have no intention of hiring, it creates false hope.

3. Don't talk about the top three candidates and that the perspective employee you're currently interviewing is the top choice and why they're the top choice, it creates false hope.

4. If you're hiring for a managerial position and you don't see that kind of experience anywhere on the resume, don't move that perspective hire onto the next level in the interview process, it creates false hope.

5. (this one is for the headhunter) When you send someone out to interview for a freelance copywriting position, make sure it is, in fact, a freelance copywriting position and not a permanent managerial position.

6. After offering the job to someone else, don't ask the so-called top choice if they're interested in being contacted for possible freelance work down the road.

7. Boycott The Men's Wearhouse.

8. Boycott The Men's Wearhouse.

I HOPE I GET IT

This will be me later this morning.

Fingers (and everything else) crossed.

PICTURE THIS

I took a rather long walk around town yesterday, and spent most of that walk in Golden Gate Park. These are just a few of the shots I captured.

RAINBOW CONNECTION

Very nice.

IT'S THE TIME OF SEASON FOR . . .

. . . Nectarines.

Nothing says Summer's Here louder than this tangy little treat, and the one pictured above is about the best one I've ever had.

PEANUTS AND CRACKER JACK

Me and my cousin Pete

For the first time since 2005, I was able to see my beloved New York Yankees play in person yesterday, courtesy of my Auntie Diane (an A's season ticket holder since 1968)

Unfortunately, the Yankees lost to the Oakland A's, although it did take 12 innings for Oakland to get that win.

Oh well. The seats were great, the crowd was really cool, and we had an awesome time.

Thanks again, Auntie.

FOODIE CALL

Heirloom tomato on Semifreddies Rustic Sourdough bread,
 drizzled with olive oil, and sprinkled with Hawaiian
black sea salt

Oh yeah, it was that good

VEGGIE TALES

So found myself at the Alemany Farmers Market with Heidi, Paul, and John yesterday morning, and this is what I walked away with: 

6 lbs. heirloom tomatoes
2 lbs. nectarines
2 large heads of red leaf lettuce
5 large avocados

Total cost: $19.50

All of it local, all of it organic.

I'll never shop anywhere else for produce ever again.

UP ALL NIGHT

Thank you, apartment 2, for your insatiable need to share that episode of "30 Rock" at 3am.

Say it with me: VOLUME CONTROL.

Prick.

IN COLD BLOOD

“It was all God’s plan, and for me to second guess it or judge it . . . I would not have done anything differently.”

-- George Zimmerman, accused killer of Trayvon Martin, on Fox News

Wow, what an ASSHOLE.

You know, I have a few theories on how this is going to play out, but I'm going to keep them to myself. Instead, I'll just say that Mr. Zimmerman needs to start heeding the basic rules of Defendant 101. Some of those rules include not giving interviews (as he did recently to Sean Hannity on Fox News) OR SELLING them (as he tried to do with Barbara Walters and ABC News), to stop trying to portray yourself as the true victim, and to just plain shut the hell up.

GQ

Yes, please.

REUNITED

. . . and it feels so good.

PEANUTS AND CRACKER JACK

So I was in a local tavern yesterday, where there were two separate ball games on two separate televisions. One was broadcasting the Yankees/Blue Jays game, the other, the Giants/Braves match-up.

Of course, everyone there was watching the Giants game, and of course, I was watching the Yankee game alone.

I don't care, since I have no issue with drinking alone.

Anyway, I started thinking about the possibility of a Yankees/Giants series, something that's been on my mind lately, and so I'm just gonna throw this out there:

It's gonna happen!

EYES WIDE SHUT

So, only 5 1/2 hours of sleep, huh?

Oh boy, it's going to be a long day.

SHIT MY BARBER DAN SAYS

Me: So what's been going on?

Dan: I got a 6-foot Yeti that lights up, for the show. I wanna add some more arms that light up, so it looks like this (moves arms slowly up and down). It's gonna be tight!

NON-DISCLOSURE

For those who were too busy watching The Bachelorette last night, I thought you'd like to know that the Disclose Act died in the Senate, by a vote of 51-44. Had it passed, the bill would have made it harder to anonymously donate money to politically active organizations, by requiring corporations, unions, super PAC's, and others report “campaign expenditures” over $10,000 within 24 hours.

Of course, Republicans unanimously opposed the bill.

I guess it can be said that GOP now stands for Gangsters On Patrol.

BOOKWORM

I don't especially enjoy going out to evenings where someone gets up and performs - or where there's entertainment. I much prefer talk. Good conversation is rare and becoming increasingly so. Nowadays, the custom is to go to a restaurant where it's impossible to get a conversation going in all that din. It's totally wonderful when you can experience an evening at someone's house - a small intimate gathering - when a good talker takes over and stimulates a good argument.

A little restaurant? Nothing more tiresome. Good cooks, jolly fellows - that's what makes a dinner.

-- Diana Vreeland, from her book D.V.

Oh, Diana, sometimes that's my favorite type of evening, as well.

MA BELL

I'm debating the idea of chucking the cellphone and going back to a land line.

Thoughts?

DOWNTOWN

When you're alone and life is making you lonely
You can always go

Downtown
When you've got worries, all the noise and the hurry
Seems to help, I know

Downtown
Just listen to the music of the traffic in the city
Linger on the sidewalk where the neon signs are pretty
How can you lose?

The lights are much brighter there
You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares
So go downtown, things'll be great when you're
Downtown

No finer place, for sure
Downtown

Everything's waiting for you

-- from the AWESOME 1964 Petula Clark classic, Downtown

TAKING STEPS

Filbert Steps (I believe) - A quiet little oasis tucked between 
Telegraph Hill and The Embarcadero.

A nice little Art Deco treat that is (surprisingly)
accessible to any passerby

Here are some of the steps I found myself climbing during my Sunday urban hike.