THE GO-GO'S

I'm not sure why this awesome song from The Go-Go's popped into my head today, but it did, so here it is.

From their 1984 album, Talk Show, here's Head Over Heels.

FOODIE CALL

Ensalada con Bistec

Yeah, it was that good

Lunch with the family at Sol Food.

BRIDGE OUT

As if snapped bolts and corroding cables weren't enough, word came out this week that the bolts used to secure the bike path on the eastern portion of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge were installed without taking into consideration heat expansion, causing those to break, as well.

CalTrans has finally admitted that the planned Labor Day opening of the new bridge will now have to be pushed back.

The hell you say! Thanks, but after it opens, I'll stick with the San Mateo Bridge, instead.

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME

So I was on the phone with Carol, a friend from New York City last night, and while I in the middle of saying something, she out of the blue blurted out:

What the hell happened to you, you've lost your edge!

I nervously laughed but immediately agreed, because I really have. It was an especially well-timed call-out as I had been thinking the same damn thing earlier that afternoon. Not sure what I can do about it but I'm sort of at a crossroads right now, and think this might be the time to make some BIG changes.

SOLE DESIRE

Holy shitballs, Batman, these shoes are HOT!

For those out there who have found themselves in a bit of a gifting mood this afternoon, size 8.5 works best for me.

Thank you in advance.

MY OZ

My IRT stop - 23rd Street

JAGGED LITTLE PILL

So scientists are now claiming to fear that the so-called female Viagra pill, Lybrido, may work too well.

Companies worried about the prospect that their study results would be too strong, and that the F.D.A. would reject an application out of concern that a chemical would lead to female excesses, crazed binges of infidelity, societal splintering.

-- Daniel Berger, New York Times 

Oh, brother.

Say, I have an idea - when Robert Dole left politics, he became a spokesman for Viagra, and since Michele Bachmann has announced that she's not running for a fifth term, maybe she can do the same for Lybrido.

It's just crazy enough to probably work.

TERM LIMIT

I fully anticipate the mainstream liberal media to put a detrimental spin on my decision not to seek a fifth term. They always seemed to attempt to find a dishonest way to disparage me.

-- Michele Bachmann (R-MN)

Oh, Ms. Bachmann, you can't claim that the media finds dishonest ways to disparage you when you say really stupid shit like:

There's a woman who came up crying to me tonight after the debate. She said her daughter was given that (HPV) vaccine. She told me her daughter suffered mental retardation as a result of that vaccine. There are very dangerous consequences. It's not good enough to take, quote, 'a mulligan' where you want a do-over, not when you have little children's lives at risk.

If you ask me, you've managed to do a pretty good job of disparaging yourself.

Good riddance, and good luck with that ethics investigation.

BEST COAST

Two of the latest from one of my favorite bands, Best Coast.

Well-played, guys. Very well-played.

MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU REDUX

This past Saturday, I posted on the anniversary of Star Wars (May The Force Be With You), so I was amused to see the SFGATE posted on their site today a little story about the Coronet Theatre, where the movie played during its initial release in the Summer of 1977.

Looks like someone is stealing ideas from the Poop . . . AGAIN!

Anyway, the article is full of fond remembrances, and I've linked it here, but I'll write about my own, as well.

Because I had changed elementary schools that Fall, I didn't know my new classmates well enough to invite any of them to a party, so this was a family-centric birthday. After cake and presents at my grandmother's (this is also the birthday I went after my brother with a knife), we piled into the car and drove down to see the hottest movie that year at the Coronet Theatre on Geary Boulevard in San Francisco.

There are so many reasons why I love Star Wars, and not just because it's a really good movie. This was the first time I had to wait in a line that went around the block, which in my mind only added to the buzz and excitement. This was also the first time I had ever attended a film with audience participation - good training for the Rocky Horror Picture Show, which I saw the following year.

Last but certainly not least, Luke Skywalker was kinda nice-looking, too.

Years later, when I was first living in San Francisco, whenever I passed by the Coronet, which has since been torn down and replaced with a senior care facility, I always remembered it as the Star Wars theatre, something that nearly every person in the SFGATE article called out as well.

Nice.

CLOSED FOR REPAIRS

During an interview on Fox News Sunday, former Presidential candidate had this to say about his party:

I think they ought to put a sign on the (Republican) national committee doors that says 'closed for repairs' until New Year's Day next year and spend that time going over ideas and positive agendas.

Pretty spot-on, if you ask me. Unfortunately, the Repugnicans will ignore is advice, and continue to stick with their game plan, even though it's a plan that has proven to be a colossal failure.

To be fair, he also called out the president, by saying:

I'm not a critic of the president, but I think one mistake he's made was not getting together more with Congress earlier on, in his first administration. There's nothing like knowing the person you're talking to on the telephone if you've had an opportunity to sit down with that person and visit, not about anything, but just visit.

Well, President Obama tried that, but when you have assholes like Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announcing during a press conference that his number one priority is making sure president Obama’s a one-term president (a mission that failed miserably), then there's only so much the guy can do.

MY OZ

Oh New York City, you sexy bitch!

MEMORIAL DAY

Remember, Memorial Day isn't just the unofficial kick-off for Summer or a day for barbecue.

Thanks to all the men and women who have bravely served and sacrificed for our country.

HOT WHEELS

1963 Pontiac Tempest parked on my block.

When the left tire mark goes up on the curb and the right tire mark stays flat and even? Well, the '64 Skylark had a solid rear axle, so when the left tire would go up on the curb, the right tire would tilt out and ride along its edge. But that didn't happen here. The tire mark stayed flat and even. This car had an independent rear suspension. Now, in the '60's, there were only two other cars made in America that had positraction, and independent rear suspension, and enough power to make these marks. One was the Corvette, which could never be confused with the Buick Skylark. The other had the same body length, height, width, weight, wheel base, and wheel track as the '64 Skylark, and that was the 1963 Pontiac Tempest.

-- Mona Lisa Vito (as played by Marissa Tomei), My Cousin Vinny, 1992

SLUMBER PARTY

Waking up at Cookie's.

MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU

Okay, I have to admit it hurt just a little bit when I realized it was 36 years ago TODAY that Star Wars first hit the screen.

Actually, it hurts quite a bit.

Anyway, happy birthday, Star Wars. You're a movie I still enjoy as much as I did the first time I saw it at the Coronet Theatre in San Francisco on September 15, 1977.

ALL SUMMER LONG

All the way from 1964, here's The Beach Boys All Summer Long.

You're welcome.

WEAR SUNSCREEN

The staff of The Steaming Poop blog wishes you a safe and pleasant unofficial first weekend of Summer 2013.

DOWN PERISCOPE

I came across an interesting little article on SFGate this afternoon. It seems some long-lost photographs of San Francisco Bay, as seen from the periscope of the submarine U.S.S Catfish, have come to the surface.

Click here to see more.

PEANUTS AND CRACKER JACK

Yours truly at a local batting cage a few days back

So here are the MLB standings of some of the teams me and a few of my friends follow, as of this afternoon:

American League:

1st Place (East) -  New York Yankees (gee, what a shock): 28W - 18L
5th Place (Central) - Minnesota Twins: 18W - 25L
2nd Place (West) - Oakland A's: 20W - 23L

National League:
1st Place (Central) St. Louis Cardinals: 30W - 16L
3rd Place (West) San Francisco Giants: 26W - 21L

Go Yankees!

Stats courtesy of MLB.com

DEATH PROOF

Zoe the fucking cat!

Yet another loud and violent film that lulled me to sleep last night.

Hmmmm.

CHOOSY MOMS CHOOSE . . .

In an interview with the New York Times, engineer Steve Wilhite, creator of the animated image file, settled once and for all what the TRUE pronunciation of GIF is supposed to be. Apparently, the correct pronunciation is:

JIF - like the peanut butter.

Well, thank goodness that's settled.

ROAD TRIP

I am SO in serious need of one.

AMERICAN PSYCHO

Christie, get down on your knees so Sabrina can see your asshole. Phil Collins' solo career seems to be more commercial, and therefore more satisfying in a narrower way, especially songs like "In the Air Tonight" and "Against All Odds."

Sabrina, don't just stare at it. Eat it.

Yes, this is the movie that lulled me to sleep last night.

TOUCHDOWN

The original iPad?

Are you ready for some football?

The last Super Bowl played in the Bay Area (at Stanford Stadium, in fact) was in 1985, when the San Francisco 49er's prison-raped the Miami Dolphins, 38-16.

As expected, the National Football League today announced that Super Bowl L will return, this time at the brand-spanking new Levi's Stadium in 2016.

ARCADE FIRE

Here's a song I thoroughly enjoy when it pops up on my iPod, No Cars Go from the 2007 Arcade Fire album, Neon Bible.

You're welcome.

BOOKWORM

Two copies of Living Sober were left in the vestibule of my apartment building a few days back.

Yeah, these were left at the wrong address.

MY OZ

Flatiron Building, 23rd & 5th & Broadway

Oh New York, you sexy bitch!

FOODIE CALL

8 oz. Super Duper Burger, protein-style

El Toro

So I did a little eating this past weekend - much to the shock of many people, I'm sure.

Super Duper Burgers and El Toro Taqueria, you both complete me.

BRIDGEWORK

As if snapping rods and bolts weren't enough, word now comes that steel tendons holding up the suspension portion of the eastern portion of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge are already showing signs of corrosion.

Turns out they were incorrectly installed.

This is sounding more and more like the Boston Big Dig everyday.

The much-ballyhooed opening date of Labor Day is now officially being called into question. The Sacramento Bee has done a great job of covering this project over the last several years, check out the article.

In contrast, the replacement work on the Doyle Drive/Presidio Parkway (pictured above) project is going swimmingly. Work has begun on the northbound lanes, with completion expected sometime in 2014. So much care has gone into this particular project that even a pet cemetery was covered with a temporary cement protective cover, so as to not disturb the beloved occupants.

DIG IF YOU WILL THE PICTURE

Taken during my morning bike ride up to Marin and back. Such a great way to start the day.

BEAUTY SCHOOL DROPOUT

Short story long:

Since my regular barber Dan is Summering in Lebanon, I went to the Cinta Aveda Institute for a free haircut (since I had recently bought a promo candle at one of their stores).

It wasn't until I got there that I found out that the Cinta Aveda Institute is a beauty school. I should have known I was in for it when my stylist said this was going to take some time and hoped I didn't have any plans for the next few hours.

Oh Dear.

So for the next two and a half hours, I VERY PATIENTLY sat there and nervously watched as she muddled her way through what she later revealed was her first men's haircut.

Yeah, no shit.

At one point, I almost faked a "Drink your juice, Shelby" seizure because I just didn't think I could sit there much longer. Mercifully, my ordeal came to an end, and the instructor did a minimal clean-up on a haircut that actually turned out pretty well.

But still, Dan, you better fuckin' hurry home!

DIG IF YOU WILL THE PICTURE

An Amazonian rain forest, you ask?

No, just a small grove of eucalyptus trees I passed through between Sutro Tower and Mt. Sutro, two areas I hiked yesterday afternoon.

Pretty nice, huh?

BOX-OFFICE POISON

Yeah, I took a picture during the movie.

According to Rutanya Alda, the only movie she ever kept a journal on during filming was the 80's camp classic, Mommie Dearest.

The actress, who played the forever-loyal to "Miss Crawford" Carol Ann, announced during a personal appearance at the Castro Theatre this past Saturday evening that her journal, The Mommie Dearest Diaries, is scheduled to hit bookshelves later this year.

Holy shit, talk about appointment reading!

BRIDGEWORK

So not only have the safety of the bolts used to secure the bridge during an earthquake been called into question, but news has surfaced over the last few days regarding the rods used to secure the single tower on the still-under construction eastern span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.

It seems they were treated with Hydrochloric acid to prepare their surfaces prior to galvanization, a process which can increase the likelihood of hydrogen-related brittleness under stress. Although this practice was banned by Caltrans, it somehow was overlooked in the quality control process.

Amazing.

I think I'll stick with driving across the San Mateo Bridge, instead.

The Sacramento Bee has been covering this issue with great accuracy over the last couple of years, check out the article here.

YOUNG AND BEAUTIFUL

Lana Del Ray's Young and Beautiful, from The Great Gatsby.

I'm totally feeling it, Lana.

DEEP NIGHT

A longtime favorite of mine, Sonny Clark's Deep Night.

DIG IF YOU WILL THE PICTURE

Golden Gate Bridge from Vista Point

Alcatraz Island and the Golden Gate Bridge

San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge

This is some of what I saw during my bike ride this morning. I pedaled my narrow brown ass up to the Larkspur Ferry Terminal and caught a boat ride back into downtown San Francisco.

CREATURE FEATURES

Perhaps I have no one to blame but myself for my chronic sleep deprivation issues. After all, they probably began when I was a wee-young laddie in Petaluma, staying up till all hours every Saturday night to catch KTVU's Creature Features.

Hosted by the late, great Bob Wilkins, Creature Features shined a bright light on the finest camp horror films of the 50's and 60's. Seriously, the weekly show specialized in some of the amusingly worst of the worst.

However, Wilkins was able to book some pretty awesome guests on the show, including Ray Harryhausen, who passed away last night at 94. Harryhausen was responsible for the special effects of such films as Jason and the Argonauts, The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, Mighty Joe Young, etc. Below are some clips that may look primitive by today's standards, but this was before CGI. Each of these action scenes was painstakingly created via a process called Stop Motion Animation.

There is no denying his place in Hollywood history and his influence on such directors as George Lucas, Peter Jackson, and Steven Spielberg, to name a few.

So long, Ray, you did good. Reel good.

SHOWGIRLS

So I read on SFGATE this morning about the latest nonsensical controversy to hit a neighborhood not far from me, the possible opening of a strip club on Castro Street.

If opened, the Randy Rooster will according to the owners, be classy, clean and represent everything gay in San Francisco - complete with beautiful cocktails and dinners with “local sustainable-source fare.”

Oh brother.

Says district supervisor Scott Wiener: I have been receiving quite a bit of feedback. People have concerns about the location, and at this point there is not a lot of clarity of exactly what the club will be.

Concerns about the location? So people who felt it was perfectly acceptable for men walk around the neighborhood sans clothing (until it was once again made illegal earlier this year), now seem to have an issue with a club in the same neighborhood where there will be no nudity, just guys dancing around in Thongs?

Stop the world, I wanna get off.

FRANCIS THE TALKING MULE

Via his Twitter account last week, Pope Francis had this to say:

My thoughts turn to all who are unemployed, often as a result of a self-centered mindset bent on profit at any cost.

Oh brother.

Considering how much wealth The Vatican has accumulated over the last several hundred years, I find the comment incredibly hollow and ironic.

Hey Francis, perhaps you should put your money where your mouth is, and start helping all who are unemployed by spreading some of that cash around like it was manure.