Sam Spade's San Francisco

Pacific Business News in Honolulu published an article comparing tourism in the State of Hawaii to tourism in the City of San Francisco. In 2007 more people visited San Francisco than visited the entire State of Hawaii.

The San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau reports that 16.1 million tourists came to San Francisco in 2007. The number of visitors to the entire State of Hawaii in 2007 was only 7,368,048.

San Francisco tourists spent a record $8.2 billion in 2007.

Tourism pays the wages of more than 72,000 people in San Francisco, with an annual payroll of $1.95 billion. The City's hotel occupancy was 79 percent in 2007 and in 2006 it was 76.4 percent.

General Resources:
San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau
Pacific Business News Tourism article
2007 San Francisco Gay and Lesbian Tourism Study - Community Marketing, Inc.
San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco magazine
Bay Area Reporter (LGBT newspaper)
San Francisco Bay Times (LGBT newspaper)
CBS-5 San Francisco - TV
KRON-4 San Francisco - TV
ABC-7 San Francisco - TV
Office of Mayor Gavin Newsom

Other postings from Sam Spade's San Francisco and helpful local links:
Presidio of San Francisco - What's there to see and where to eat
Garden Court at the Palace Hotel - San Francisco's Most Elegant Sunday Brunch
San Francisco Ferry Building Marketplace - A Complete Guide
Taxicab Crooks and Scam Cabs in San Francisco - Read this warning before jumping in a cab!
San Francisco's Fabulous Lesbian Chefs
Coffee in the Castro - where to sit and watch the world go by
Public Transportation Links - from the Port of San Francisco
Ferry Schedule Links - from Bay Crossings
San Francisco Metropolitan Transportation Agency (MUNI) website
San Francisco City Hall - Architectural Masterpiece
Directions, public transit and a map to SF City Hall
SF City Hall Photo Gallery
San Francisco City Hall - Wikipedia article
Mayor Gavin Newsom's Welcome Page
San Francisco Visitors and Convention Bureau
California Academy of Sciences at Golden Gate Park
Asian Art Museum
Barbary Coast Trail
Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
Exploratorium
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
MOMA (Museum of Modern Art)
Moscone Center
Other Museums
Steinhart Aquarium
Strybing Arboretum & Botanical Gardens
Symphony Zoo, San Francisco
San Francisco International Airport
Municipal Railway (MUNI)
Events Search, Convention & Visitors Bureau
Treasure Island Special Events
Restaurants in San Francisco - Inside Local tips - the Ultimate Guide
San Francisco Film Festivals 2008
San Francisco History Links and Resource Guide

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Picture this:

It is San Francisco in 1875. The Civil War had come to a bloody end twelve years before. The City in those days was centered around the docks along the Embarcadero (the shore in those days was back several blocks. The modern-day Embarcadero sits on land reclaimed from the bay) and grew outward from that point.

Much of the town was little more than a collection of ramshackle buildings. A good number of the saloons and warehouses along the shore of the bay were really old sailing ships that had been hauled up from the water and remodeled.

It was the Wild West. Towns were dusty and dirty. Paint was seldom used other than simple whitewash.

There were some exceptions, of course. Chinatown was nothing short of glorious. It was a wonderful place to be as far as family and nurturing and childhood are concerned, but it was also cramped and squalid and impoverished. The families in Chinatown didn't have much in the material sense, but they had a warmth of tradition and family that are still unequaled in most of today's San Francisco households. Chinatown was easily the prettiest place in the San Francisco of 1875. It was ablaze with red and gold. To outsiders it seemed that lion dances were weekly events and strings of firecrackers were forever being ignited. The scent of rich sandalwood incense perpetually drifted through the air. It still does.

The rest of San Francisco was pretty drab. Even the mansions on Rincon Hill (the elite address during the 1850's to 1870's, before Nob Hill came into fashion) were not as impressive as the Palace Hotel when it opened its doors in 1875.

It was such a stunning experience to walk into the Palace Hotel for the first time. One stepped out of a dusty John Wayne movie set into an absolutely spectacular European palace. It was grand and massive. Granite and polished marble, cut-glass chandeliers imported from Austria, deep burgundy red carpets, French furniture ... and on and on. It was opulent and magical. For many Californians it was the experience of a lifetime.

Guests arrived through the Garden Court entrance where carriages brought their passengers to the grand entrance through a U-shaped drive. The drive was known as the Garden Court. Once inside, admirers were awed by the hotel's four hydraulic elevators known as "rising rooms." Now guests could reach the hotel's top floors without effort. Each room was equipped with an electronic call button so that every guest's whim was met quickly and fulfilled completely.

Today the Garden Court is no longer the carriage entrance. The space is now enclosed in a magnificent stained-glass dome. It covers one of the world's most elegant restaurants - The Garden Court. With its incredible architecture and Austrian crystal chandeliers, The Garden Court became the site for some of the nation's most prestigious events.

Throughout its history, the Palace Hotel has witnessed the arrival of numerous prestigious guests. Presidents U. S. Grant, Benjamin Harrison, and Rutherford B. Hayes stayed there, as did President Warren G. Harding, who died there. King David Kalakaua of Hawaii also died there. Business leaders John D. Rockefeller and J. P. Morgan were guests, as were renowned British playwright Oscar Wilde, actress Sarah Bernhardt (who arrived with her pet baby tiger), and opera legend Enrico Caruso.

In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson hosted two luncheons in support of the Versailles Treaty which ended World War I. In 1945, the official banquet honoring the opening session of the United Nations was held in The Garden Court.

If you are a San Franciscan and have not yet been to the Garden Court, then shame on you! If you do not live in San Francisco, then make your plans now to enjoy this magnificent restaurant on your very next visit to this beautiful City by the Bay.

Resource Links and other postings from Sam Spade's San Francisco:
Garden Court Restaurant at the Palace Hotel - website
Presidio of San Francisco - What's there to see and where to eat
San Francisco Ferry Building Marketplace - A Complete Guide
Taxicab Crooks and Scam Cabs in San Francisco - Read this warning before jumping in a cab!
San Francisco's Fabulous Lesbian Chefs
Coffee in the Castro - where to sit and watch the world go by
Public Transportation Links - from the Port of San Francisco
Ferry Schedule Links - from Bay Crossings
San Francisco Metropolitan Transportation Agency (MUNI) website
San Francisco City Hall - Architectural Masterpiece
Directions, public transit and a map to SF City Hall
SF City Hall Photo Gallery
San Francisco City Hall - Wikipedia article
Mayor Gavin Newsom's Welcome Page
San Francisco Visitors and Convention Bureau
California Academy of Sciences at Golden Gate Park
Asian Art Museum
Barbary Coast Trail
Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
Exploratorium
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
MOMA (Museum of Modern Art)
Moscone Center
Other Museums
Steinhart Aquarium
Strybing Arboretum & Botanical Gardens
Symphony Zoo, San Francisco
San Francisco International Airport
Municipal Railway (MUNI)
Events Search, Convention & Visitors Bureau
Treasure Island Special Events
Restaurants in San Francisco - Inside Local tips - the Ultimate Guide
San Francisco Film Festivals 2008
San Francisco History Links and Resource Guide

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Flag Day is celebrated on June 14.

It is the birthday of our flag, which was adopted as the flag of the United States at the Second Continental Congress in 1777.

Resources:
U.S. Flag organization
U.S. Flag Rules & Regulations
U.S. Flag Picture Gallery
U.S. Flag Supply Co.
U.S. Flag Store
Flags of the U.S. States
U.S.A. Flag site

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On May 15, the California Supreme Court ruled that the right to marry extends to all couples. The landmark decision gives same-gender couples the freedom to marry in California. Couples will have the opportunity to legally marry beginning as soon as June 16.

• Learn more about the marriage case
• Frequently asked questions about getting married

In 2005, the California Legislature made history as the first in the nation to pass a bill that would have given same-gender couples the freedom to marry. The Legislature passed an identical bill again in 2007, but Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed both measures.

Following the Supreme Court decision on May 15, Governor Schwarzenegger said firmly that he will uphold and enforce the Court's decision and oppose the proposed ballot initiative that would take away the right of same-gender couples to marry by writing discrimination into the California Constitution.

• Frequently asked questions about getting married

California Law

Beginning as early as June 17, same-gender couples will have the opportunity to marry. In California, clergy members, active and retired judges and court commissioners and the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioners of Civil Marriages are authorized to perform legal marriages.

Commissioners perform marriage ceremonies by appointment at designated county offices. There is a fee, which is generally less than $50. Call ahead or visit the county website for more information.

California Marriage Case

EQCA was a plaintiff in the historic California marriage case decided by the California Supreme Court on May 15, 2008. The court ruled that a ban on marriage for same-gender couples is unconstitutional. More info>>

Resources

• Equality for All (campaign to defeat the constitutional amendment)
• EQCA - Equality California (the source of this material)
  
• Let California Ring (campaign to open hearts and minds about the freedom to marry)
• California Marriage Case
  
• National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR)
• Lambda Legal
• American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
• Our Family Coalition
• Freedom to Marry
• Human Rights Campaign
• Marriage Equality USA
• National Gay & Lesbian Task Force
  

Equality for All is the lead agency in the battle to defeat Prop 8. If you would like to help stop the homophobic anti-marriage ballot measure, click here to go to Equality for All.

For information on getting married in California and special links for people in San Francisco, please go to: California's Marriage Equality Supreme Court Case: Links, Facts & Resources.
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We hear a lot of whining these days from reckless home borrowers and their banks.

But did you know that renters are 32 percent of American households? And that homes in foreclosure are less than 2 percent?

Are you also aware that the clear majority of foreclosures are against people who lied on their loan applications and stated an income much higher than they really had?

So why is Congress rushing to bailout high-flying borrowers and their lenders with our tax dollars?

Unfortunately, renters aren't as good at politics as the small minority of homeowners (and their bankers) who are in trouble. They don't have lobbyists in Washington, DC.

Renters don't get a federal tax deduction for rent and they don't get sweetheart government loans.

When renters face difficulties and can't pay their rent, there is no remedy or easy solution waiting for them. Unlike property buyers, renters have no government subsidy or help waiting in the wings.

Why is America more fair to home owners (even liars, speculators and house flippers) than they are to working Americans who can only afford to rent. Those renters could have lied like the sub-prime borrowers, but they chose to lead honest lives instead. Their reward: nothing but a slap in the face from the Bush Administration.

Watch the following video and after, sign the petition to Congress.

AngryRenter.com is promoting a petition to Congress:

WHEREAS: Most Americans rent or own their home outright, and the vast majority of homes (98%) are not in foreclosure.

WHEREAS: Both banks and borrowers should be responsible for their actions, and the government should not reward reckless behavior.

WHEREAS: It is wrong to force all taxpayers-- including renters who are already subsidizing home owners through the tax code-- to pay for additional bailouts for big banks and home flippers.

BE IT RESOLVED: That Congress should not pass any bailout programs that reward risky borrowing and lending. Let the free market sort it out!

If you would like to learn more or sign the petition, please visit AngryRenter.com

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The tax laws provide some special benefits for active members of the U.S. Armed Forces, including those serving in combat zones.

For federal tax purposes, the U.S. Armed Forces includes officers and enlisted personnel in all regular and reserve units controlled by the Secretaries of Defense, the Army, Navy and Air Force. The Coast Guard is also included, but not the U.S. Merchant Marine or the American Red Cross. However, these and other support personnel may qualify for certain tax deadline extensions because of their service in a combat zone.

• Economic Stimulus Payments: Especially for Military Combat Personnel —
  Information on the economic stimulus payments for members of the military serving in a combat zone.
  
  
• Questions & Answers on Combat Zone Tax Provisions — Military Pay Exclusions, Deadline Extensions and Miscellaneous Provisions for Qualifying Taxpayers; Employers.
  
  
• A Combat Zone E-mail Address for members of the Armed Forces or their families worldwide to alert the IRS that they are serving in a combat zone.
  
  
• Publication 3, Armed Forces' Tax Guide, addresses a wide range of issues that may affect members of the military:
  • Online — browse the publication to find specific information;
  • Portable Document Format (PDF) — download a copy to read later or print select pages;
  • Hardcopy — order a paper copy by calling 1-.
    

Other Items:

• IR-2007-46 — Free Online Tax Filing Available to Many Military Members
  
  
• IR-2006-152 — Active Duty Reservists Get Relief on Retirement Plan Payments; Refunds of 10-Percent Tax Available Back to 2001, New Law Says
  
  
• IR-2006-129 — New Law Expands IRA Options for Military; Many Can Still Contribute for 2004 and 2005
  
  
• Military Family Tax Relief Act of 2003 — Tax breaks related to military service, including two provisions that may require amended returns.
  
  
• IR-2003-132 — IRS Helps Military Personnel Get New Law's Tax Breaks
  
  
• IR-2003-63 — New Tax Scam Targets Families of Armed Forces Members
  
  
• Notice 2003-21 — Tax Relief for Those Involved in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
  
  
• IR-2003-43 — Tax Assistance for Military Families; IRS.gov Page for Armed Forces
  
  
• Fact Sheet 2003-11 — Information for Taxpayers Serving in the Armed Forces
  
  
• News Release IR-2002-18 — Tax Relief for Troops in the Afghanistan Combat Zone.
  
  
• Notice 2002-17 — Tax Relief for Those Involved in Operation Enduring Freedom.
  
  

National Taxpayer Advocate Nina E. Olson announced today that the 2009 Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) grant application process is now open.

The LITC grant program is a federal program administered by the Taxpayer Advocate Service. The Taxpayer Advocate Service is an independent organization within the IRS whose employees assist taxpayers who are experiencing economic harm, who are seeking help in resolving tax problems that have not been resolved through normal channels or who believe that an IRS system or procedure is not working as it should.

Under the LITC grant program, the IRS awards matching grants of up to $100,000 per year to develop, expand or maintain low income taxpayer clinics. The program is in its tenth year and continues to expand. To date in 2008, the LITC Program Office has awarded LITC grants to 154 organizations in 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam.

LITCs are independent organizations that provide low income taxpayers with representation in federal tax controversies with the IRS for free or for a nominal charge. The clinics also provide taxpayer education and outreach for taxpayers who speak English as a second language. Publication 4134, Low Income Taxpayer Clinic List, provides information on clinics. It is available at www.irs.gov or local IRS offices.

Examples of qualifying organizations include:

• Clinical programs at accredited law, business or accounting schools, whose students represent low income taxpayers in tax disputes with the IRS, and
• Organizations exempt from tax under Code Section 501(a) that represent low income taxpayers in tax disputes with the IRS or refer those taxpayers to qualified representatives.

The application period for this grant will run from May 27, 2008, through July 7, 2008. The grant will cover the 2009 grant cycle, from Jan. 1, 2009, through Dec. 31, 2009. Applications must be postmarked or filed electronically by July 7, 2008.

Copies of the 2009 Grant Application Package and Guidelines, IRS Publication 3319 (Rev. 5-2008), are available at www.irs.gov/advocate. Applicants may also order application packages from the IRS Distribution Center by calling 1-.

Applicants can also file electronically at www.grants.gov. Those applying electronically should use the Funding Number: TREAS-GRANTS-052009-001.

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This time of year we are all pestered by campaign calls, junk mail and political email spam. Most of it comes from the presidential campaigns and a fair amount from local candidates. The exception is usually folks who are running for local county central committees. These candidates are seldom heard from - seldom that is - until now.

In the photo: Linda Richardson, candidate for San Francisco Democratic Party County Central Committee

Linda Richardson is running a real and active campaign for San Francisco Democratic Party County Central Committee. In a press release sent to Sam Spade's San Francisco, Richardson wrote:

“I have worked for years and at every level to improve the lives of the residents of Bayview-Hunters Point, enhance the quality of life for San Franciscans, and to get Democrats elected,” Ms. Richardson wrote in her email. “It is crucial that this part of San Francisco receive energized, effective representation in the political arena, and for a dependable voice to be elected to the DCCC. I want to elevate the discussions within the Democratic Party on Affordable Healthcare, Education, the Environment, Economy, Green Energy and Human Rights.”

A former President of the Civil Service Commission and former member of the San Francisco Planning Commission, Richardson led negotiations that resulted in the historic 1998 agreement to close the Hunters Point power plant. She is currently a member of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission.

Endorsements for Linda Richardson include the Bay Area Reporter, Asian Week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Mayor Gavin Newsom, City Attorney Dennis Herrera, Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, Supervisor Bevan Dufty, Treasurer Jose Cisneros, Dr. Anita Grier, the SF Labor Council, SF Young Democrats, Raoul Wallenberg Jewish Democratic Club, Asian Pacific Islander Democratic Club, SF Women's Political Committee, African American Democratic Club, Irish American Democratic Club, Chinese American Democratic Club, Black Women for Political Action, National Women's Political Caucus (SF), City Democratic Club, and FDR Democratic Club.

Linda Richardson is putting a lot of time and effort into her campaign. She's already doing the kind of work we all hope our county central committee members should do. Linda Richardson deserves our votes.

If you live in the City and County of San Francisco and you are a registered Democrat, you will have an opportunity to vote for and elect Linda Richardson to the San Francisco Democratic Party County Central Committee. A vote for Linda Richardson is a vote to improve, strengthen and develop the Bayview - Hunters Point communities.

San Francisco needs Linda Richardson and so does the Democratic Party.

Resources:
Linda Richardson's website: lindarichardson.org
Contact Linda by email at:
San Francisco Democratic Party County Central Committee

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I received an email from Roberta Guise who would like me to remind the community that a long-standing U.S. Naval tradition, the Lost Boat Memorial, will take place aboard the USS Pampanito, a WWII submarine, which is permanently docked at Pier 45 near Fisherman's Wharf.

In the photo: USS Pampanito returns home through the Golden Gate. Click to enlarge in a separate window.

USS Pampanito (SS-383) is a World War II Balao class Fleet submarine museum and memorial that is open for visitors daily at San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf. Pampanito made six patrols in the Pacific during World War II during which she sank six Japanese ships and damaged four others.

The ceremony will take place at 5 PM on Memorial Day Monday and is free of all charge to everyone who wants to attend and honor the lost sailors of the United States Navy Submarine Service. A performance of echo taps will be performed in honor of the 52 submarine boats lost along with the lives of 3,5000 brave American submariners.

Following is a list of the boats and crews that will be honored at the ceremony. This list is provided courtesy of San Francisco Maritime National Park Association. Thank you.

Click on a boat name to read the names of the United States Navy submariners lost with their boat.

UNITED STATES SUBMARINE LOSSES

The decisive role played by the Silent Service during WW II is often overlooked, or the significance of their contribution is not fully understood. The Submarine Service represented only 1.6% of all Navy personnel during the war but they accounted for over 55% of all Japanese ships sunk, including one-third of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Submariners paid a high price for this accomplishment, however, with the highest percentage causality rate of any branch of the service, almost 23%. Fifty-two U.S. submarines were lost during WW II with over 3,500 men. Forty additional men were lost either from gunfire or tragic mishap. It should always be remembered that these men were all volunteers.

Below is a list of each of the fifty-two submarines lost during WW II. Click on a boat name to read the names of the United States Navy submariners lost with their boat.

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Submarines Lost on Patrol During World War II

1941
USS SEALION (SS-195)
1942
USS S-36 (SS-141)
USS S-26 (SS-131)
USS SHARK (SS-174)
USS PERCH (SS-176)
USS S-27 (SS-132)
USS S-39 (SS-144)
USS GRUNION (SS-216)
1943
USS ARGONAUT (SS-166)
USS AMBERJACK (SS-219)
USS GRAMPUS (SS-207)
USS TRITON (SS-201)
USS PICKEREL (SS-177)
USS GRENADIER (SS-210)
USS RUNNER (SS-275)
USS R-12 (SS-89)
USS GRAYLING (SS-209)
USS POMPANO (SS-181)
USS CISCO (SS-290)
USS S-44 (SS-155)
USS DORADO (SS-248)
USS WAHOO (SS-238)
USS CORVINA (SS-226)
USS SCULPIN (SS-191)
USS CAPELIN (SS-289)
1944
USS SCORPION (SS-278)
USS GRAYBACK (SS-208)
USS TROUT (SS-202)
USS TULIBEE (SS-284)
USS GUDGEON (SS-211)
USS HERRING (SS-233)
USS GOLET (SS-361)
USS S-28 (SS-133)
USS ROBALO (SS-273)
USS FLIER (SS-250)
USS HARDER (SS-257)
USS SEAWOLF (SS-197)
USS SHARK II (SS-314)
USS TANG (SS-306)
USS ESCOLAR (SS-294)
USS ALBACORE (SS-218)
USS GROWLER (SS-215)
USS DARTER (SS-227)
USS SCAMP (SS-277)
1945
USS SWORDFISH (SS-193)
USS BARBEL (SS-316)
USS KETE (SS-369)
USS TRIGGER (SS-237)
USS SNOOK (SS-279)
USS LAGARTO (SS-371)
USS BONEFISH (SS-223)
USS BULLHEAD (SS-332)
ADDITIONAL LOSSES

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Other U.S. Submarine Losses

Submarining is a dangerous business. Below are submarines lost during peacetime. There have also been tragic mishaps that have taken the lives of submariners in the service of their country which include the Cochino (SS-345) in 1949, Bonefish (SS-582) in 1988, USS San Francisco (SSN-711) in 2005, USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul (SSN-708) in 2007.
1915 - USS F-4 (SS-23)
1917 - USS F-1 (SS-20)
1919 - USS G-2 (SS-27)
1920 - USS H-1 (SS-28)
1923 - USS O-5 (SS-66)
1925 - USS S-51 (SS-162)
1927 - USS S-4 (SS-109)
1939 - USS SQUALUS (SS-192)
1941 - USS O-9 (SS-70)
1963 - USS THRESHER (SSN-593)
1968 - USS SCORPION (SSN-589)
Remember: 5 PM, Memorial Day Monday, Pier 45 near Fisherman's Wharf


Resources:
USS Pampanito
San Francisco Maritime National Park Association
History of the USS Pampanito
On Eternal Patrol - dedicated to the crews lost while serving as U.S. submariners.
Final Patrol: Boats Lost 1941-1945 - from Cmdr., Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet
The Sub Report - daily source for submarine news and events
Memorial Day San Francisco 2008 at the Presidio
U. S. Navy
Submarine Warfare Division, Office of the CNO, U. S. Navy
The Pacific Submarine Campaign in WWII, U.S. Navy
National World War II Memorial, Washington, D.C.



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Stern Grove Festival Association is a non-profit organization committed to providing the people of the Bay Area with admission-free access to diverse performing arts.

Every year since 1938, the organization presents Stern Grove Festival, an admission-free performing arts series, in Sigmund Stern Grove, a beautiful outdoor amphitheater located at 19th Avenue and Sloat Boulevard in San Francisco.

In 2008, Stern Grove Festival will present its 71st consecutive season of providing the community with the best performing arts, completely admission-free.

2008 Stern Grove Admission-Free Concerts:
(click on the date for more information about performances)

Sundays, 2:00 p.m.
June 15 – August 17, 2008
Stern Grove
19th Ave. and Sloat Blvd., San Francisco

June 15
BOOKER T. JONES
BETTYE LAVETTE

June 22
SEUN KUTI AND EGYPT 80
Sila and the Afrofunk Experience

June 29
SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY
James Gaffigan, Conductor

July 6
ALLEN TOUSSAINT
Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue

July 13
RACHID TAHA
MC Rai

July 20
ALONZO KING’S LINES BALLET
Featuring Pharoah Sanders

July 27
VOICES OF LATIN ROCK
SambaDá

August 3
BAJOFONDO
SI*SÉ

August 10
ONE HAWAI’I
Featuring Na Leo, Ernie Cruz, Kaukahi, One Right Turn, and more

August 17
SAN FRANCISCO OPERA

For more information visit the Stern Grove Festival Website

Other Helpful Resources:

San Francisco Ferry Building Marketplace - The Complete Guide
San Francisco's Fabulous Lesbian Chefs
Restaurants in San Francisco - Inside Tips - Ultimate Local Guide
San Francisco's Best Beefsteak Hamburger Joint
Coffee in the Castro
Presidio of San Francisco: Food, Wine, Views - See What's New!
Restaurants at the Presidio
Taxicab Crooks and Scam Cabs in San Francisco
San Francisco City Hall - Architectural Masterpiece
link to SFMTA/Muni - public transportation in San Francisco
links to Ferry Schedules from Bay Crossings

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STOP!

You have been directed to an out-dated post. For the 2009 information on the Annual Spring Breakfast at the Ferry Building fo to: CUSA's Spring Breakfast at the San Francisco Ferry Building, June 6, 2009

On June 7, CUESA's Dacor teaching kitchen in the North Arcade will be transformed into the setting for our annual breakfast gathering. Come delight in spring's abundance and the people who bring it to us every week. A market seller will be at each table to share stories about her or his business.

There are three seatings--9:00, 10:00 and 11:00 am. Tickets are $25 per person ($15 for children 2-12), and proceeds benefit CUESA’s education programs. We sincerely hope you can join us!

The buffet-style menu includes:

• Farm-fresh scrambled eggs with fava beans, green garlic, and peas or mushrooms
• Herbed potatoes
• Blueberry pancakes with lemon ricotta
• Dandelion green salad with bacon
• Fresh peaches, strawberries, cherries and blueberries with creme fraiche, yogurt, and honey
• Warm breakfast pastries and bread
• Artisan cheeses, handmade jams
• Coffee, tea, and juice

Try the Resource Links:
San Francisco Ferry Building Marketplace - The Complete Guide
San Francisco's Fabulous Lesbian Chefs
Restaurants in San Francisco - Inside Tips - Ultimate Local Guide
San Francisco's Best Beefsteak Hamburger Joint
Coffee in the Castro
Presidio of San Francisco: Food, Wine, Views - See What's New!
Taxicab Crooks and Scam Cabs in San Francisco
San Francisco City Hall - Architectural Masterpiece
link to SFMTA/Muni - public transportation in San Francisco
links to Ferry Schedules from Bay Crossings
Shopping & Dining at the Ferry Building
Parking at the Ferry Building
Complete Ferry Building Marketplace Guide & Map (.pdf)
Stern Grove Music Festival 2008
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Note: for 2009 Memorial Day information go to: Memorial Day in San Francisco 2009 - details, links, directions.

Here is the 2008 story:

Take a look at the photo. That's the field at Gettysburg. The structure you see in the distance is the place where President Abraham Lincoln stood and delivered the Gettysburg Address.

Click on the photo to enlarge it in a new window

Since that day in 1863, there have been no barbecues, no parties, no bands and no beer guzzling at Gettysburg. That field, along with the nation's national cemeteries, are the places where Memorial Day is really and truly honored and kept.

The parties, the noise and the booze are fine - IF - you also set aside one day to truly honor Memorial Day in some real and meaningful way. Memorial Day is Monday. Have your parties on Saturday and Sunday, but on Monday, please ... show respect.

"If other eyes grow dull, other hands slack, and other hearts cold in the solemn trust, ours shall keep it well as long as the light and warmth of life remain to us"

What is an appropriate way to remember the sons, the daughters, the husbands, wives, parents, brothers, sisters and friends who have died in this war? If you have lost someone, I'm willing to bet that you're not in a mood to have a party with all your friends and get in as many laughs as you can. If your neighbors remembered the death of your family member with a drunken party or a barbecue complete with dancing and music, you would be offended.

So, why is it that so many Americans do things on Memorial Day that are so deeply insulting and painful and hurtful to those of us who have lost loved ones to the insanity of war? Why? How can people be so mean and self-absorbed to take such a precious remembrance and throw it into the mud and dance all over it?

"Let no vandalism of avarice or neglect, no ravages of time testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic"

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, National Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11. It was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery.

The best way to develop a sensitive, loving and appropriate feel for Memorial Day and what it means to so many Americans (and our numbers are unfortunately growing as Iraq deaths continue to climb) is to take just a few minutes out of your life to slowly, carefully and respectfully read every word written in General Order No. 11. This is the document that started Memorial Day. The words ring out just as clear and true today as they were when they were penned. Here are those words:

HEADQUARTERS GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC
General Orders No.11, WASHINGTON, D.C., May 5, 1868

1. The 30th day of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet church-yard in the land. In this observance no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.

We are organized, comrades, as our regulations tell us, for the purpose among other things, "of preserving and strengthening those kind and fraternal feelings which have bound together the soldiers, sailors, and marines who united to suppress the late rebellion." What can aid more to assure this result than cherishing tenderly the memory of our heroic dead, who made their breasts a barricade between our country and its foes? Their soldier lives were the reveille of freedom to a race in chains, and their deaths the tattoo of rebellious tyranny in arms. We should guard their graves with sacred vigilance. All that the consecrated wealth and taste of the nation can add to their adornment and security is but a fitting tribute to the memory of her slain defenders. Let no wanton foot tread rudely on such hallowed grounds. Let pleasant paths invite the coming and going of reverent visitors and fond mourners. Let no vandalism of avarice or neglect, no ravages of time testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic.

If other eyes grow dull, other hands slack, and other hearts cold in the solemn trust, ours shall keep it well as long as the light and warmth of life remain to us.

Let us, then, at the time appointed gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with the choicest flowers of spring-time; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved from dishonor; let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us a sacred charge upon a nation's gratitude, the soldier's and sailor's widow and orphan.

2. It is the purpose of the Commander-in-Chief to inaugurate this observance with the hope that it will be kept up from year to year, while a survivor of the war remains to honor the memory of his departed comrades. He earnestly desires the public press to lend its friendly aid in bringing to the notice of comrades in all parts of the country in time for simultaneous compliance therewith.

3. Department commanders will use efforts to make this order effective. By order of

JOHN A. LOGAN,
Commander-in-Chief

N.P. CHIPMAN,
Adjutant General

Official:
WM. T. COLLINS, A.A.G.


MEMORIAL DAY IN SAN FRANCISCO:

The premier Memorial Day event in San Francisco is the remembrance ceremonies at San Francisco National Cemetery at the Presidio. Located right on the spot where the Pacific Ocean meets San Francisco Bay at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge, the San Francisco National Cemetery is one of the nation's oldest and most beautiful.

In 1884, San Francisco National Cemetery became the first West Coast cemetery to be part of the national cemetery system. Soldiers were buried here at the post cemetery as early as 1849. Through time, the cemetery expanded from 9 acres to its present 27 acres and contains over 30,000 graves, including those of 35 congressional Medal of Honor recipients.

10 AM: Arrive at the Presidio's Main Post parade Ground at 10:00 AM. The parade will get underway at 10:30. Participants will march from the Parade Ground to San Francisco National Cemetery.

11 AM: The memorial service at the Cemetery will commence at 11:00 AM.

1 PM: The annual Interfaith Peace Service will commence at 1:00 PM at the Presidio Interfaith Chapel near the cemetery.

Parking is available near the Presidio Officers’ Club, 50 Moraga Ave., Presidio Main Post. MUNI also provides bus transportation right to the Presidio.

Lost Boat Ceremony aboard the USS Pampanito - Memorial Day - 5 PM:

A very special ceremony honoring the 52 submarine boats lost during World War II along with the lives of 3,5000 brave American submariners will be conducted by WWII veterans aboard the USS Pampanito. If you would like to attend this very special and free event please follow this link to: Lost Boat Memorial Aboard USS Pampanito - San Francisco.

A long-standing U.S. Naval tradition, the Lost Boat Memorial, will take place aboard the USS Pampanito, a WWII submarine, which is permanently docked at Pier 45 near Fisherman's Wharf. The ceremony will take place at 5 PM on Memorial Day Monday and is free of all charge to everyone who wants to attend and honor the lost sailors of the United States Navy Submarine Service. A performance of echo taps will be performed in honor of our lost submariner heroes.

Resources:
Lost Boat Memorial Aboard USS Pampanito - San Francisco
Memorial Day Event Schedule - Presidio of San Francisco
Important warning about San Francisco taxicabs!
The Presidio of San Francisco, National Park Service
San Francisco National Cemetery
History of San Francisco National Cemetery
Interfaith Chapel at the Presidio (old Main Post Chapel)
San Francisco Office of Veteran Affairs
American Legion Post 448 - The Alexander Hamilton Post
SFMTA/Muni (public transportation in San Francisco)
Golden Gate Bridge & Transportation District

Related articles of interest from Sam Spade's San Francisco:
Presidio of San Francisco: New Developments
Army National Guard Gets New Lakota Helicopters
USS Essex on Station to Help Cyclone Victims in Burma
USS Michael Murphy - U.S. Navy's Newest Destroyer
U.S. Army Soldiers Bob Mason & Joe Meyer Come Home After 58 Years MIA
Jonathan "Jake" Yelner of Lafayette Killed in Afghanistan
USS North Carolina (SSN 777) Nuclear Submarine Launched
B-24 Aircrew From WWII Found & Brought Home
Presidential Memorial Commission of San Francisco: Clowns, Buffoons and Fools
Korean War Army Soldiers Found & Returned Home
Mather AFB Airman Missing Since 1942 Finally Found!

Other Resources and Information about the Presidio of San Francisco:
California State Military Museum: History of the Presidio of San Francisco
Presidio of San Francisco: National Park Service
The Presidio Trust
The Interfaith Center at the Presidio
Presidio Golf Course & Clubhouse
Presidio of San Francisco: history of by GlobalSecurity.org
Presidio History: National Park Service
Presidio History: the Presidio Trust
Presidio of San Francisco: Wikipedia
History of the San Francisco National Cemetery at the Presidio
San Francisco National Cemetery: Wikipedia
List of Historic Sites at the Presidio
List of Architectural Sites at the Presidio
List of Nature and Recreational Sites at the Presidio
Event Venues Available for Rent at the Presidio
LucasFilm - The Letterman Digital Arts Center at the Presidio
Restaurants at the Presidio
Trails and Scenic Overlooks at the Presidio
Crissy Field
Golden Gate Bridge
Presidio Public Transit
Printable Map of the Presidio



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The California primary election will be held on June 3rd. If you want to vote via absentee ballot in this election, the deadline for requesting your absentee ballot is next Tuesday, May 27th.

About the map: Click to enlarge in a separate window and view the counties of California.

To request an absentee ballot, contact your county elections office before 5:00 pm on Tuesday, May 27, 2008. You can click here to find their phone number.

To make the voting process a little easier for you, the California Democratic Party has prepared several tools at our website, www.cadem.org, to help you out:

• If you have any questions about your rights as a voter, you can visit the CDP's Voters Rights page for assistance.
  
• If you would like to get more information about the candidates who are endorsed by the California Democratic Party, you can go to our list of Endorsed Candidates which will give you links to each candidate's website.
  
• If you have questions about the propositions on your ballot, the California Democratic Party has officially made an endorsement of No on 98 and Yes on 99.
  

If you encounter any difficulty, you can call the Secretary of State's office at 1-800-345-VOTE(8683).

And if you have any questions or problems, you can always contact the California Democratic Party headquarters at 1-.

In the City and County of San Francisco, Consolidated Statewide Direct Primary Election, Tuesday, June 3, 2008:

- Polls open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

- Last day to register to vote is May 19, 2008.

- The last day to request a vote-by-mail ballot is May 27, 2008.

- Early voting at City Hall begins May 5, 2008

Additional Resources:
San Francisco Dept. of Elections
San Francisco City Hall
California Secretary of State, Elections Division
San Francisco Democratic Central Committee
Harvey Milk Democratic Club
Alice B Toklas Democratic Club
Mark Leno for State Senate
Tom Ammiano for State Assembly
Senator Barbara Boxer
Senator Diane Feinstein
Congresswoman & Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi
California Democratic Party
Community Leadership Alliance Democratic Club
FDR Democratic Club
Raul Wallenberg Jewish Democratic Club
Linda Richardson, candidate for San Francisco Democratic Party County Central Committee

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When: Sunday, May 25, 2008
Time: Starts at 9:30 AM
Where: Starts at 24th & Harrison to Mission, then Mission & 24th to Mission & 17th
Parade Map: Click here to view parade route map
Take BART to the Parade! Stations: 16th Street, and 24th Street

Carnaval’s Grand Parade is a unique multi-cultural event that celebrates the traditions of many countries and cultures around the world. The floats are spectacular, the music and costumes lavish and varied. Beautifully designed floats depict rich multi-cultural themes, and often feature performers that excite and entertain the crowds.

Brazilian-style “escola” samba contingents with up to 300 members dance through the streets in fantastic feathered headdresses or sweeping Bahia skirts, while Caribbean artist perform the music and dance of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Trinidad and the Bahamas. Other Parade artists include Mexican Aztec performers, traditional African dancers and drummers, Polynesian dancers, Japanese Taiko drummers, Chinese Lion Dancers, giant puppets and folkloric artists representing Guatemala, Honduras, Bolivia & Perú, and special children’s contingents.

The Grand Parade dances through the Mission District streets of San Francisco, is viewed by hundreds of thousands of spectators. Sponsors of the Grand Parade receive a tremendous amount of visibility on the television Spanish & English broadcast audience and exposure on media outlets throughout the State of California.

Click here for a list and description of the 2008 Carnaval Grand Parade contingents.

Click here For a list and description of the stages, bands, dance troupes and entertainment schedule.

Click here for a map of the parade route.

How to get to Carnaval 2008:

California's largest annual multicultural celebration, Carnaval San Francisco attracts approximately 400,000 participants each year. This year's sponsors include 511 info, Southwest Airlines, samTrans, Golden Gate Ferry, Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and Muni.

The following streets will be closed for the Festival from 10 PM, Friday, May 23 - midnight on Sunday, May 25:

• Harrison between 16th and 24th
• 17th between Treat and Alabama
• Treat between 16th and 18th
• 18th between Treat and Alabama
• 19th between Alabama and Folsom
• 20th between Treat and Alabama
• 21st between Treat and Alabama
• 22nd between Treat and Alabama
• 23rd between Treat and Alabama
• Mariposa between Alabama and Harrison
• Mistral between Harrison and Treat

The following streets will be closed Sunday, May 25 for the Parade:

• Bryant from Cesar Chavez to 19th - 5 a.m. - 1 p.m.
• 24th from Bryant to Mission - 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
• 24th/Mission to 17th/Mission - 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
• 17th/Mission to 17th/Harrison- 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
• Treat between 24th and 25th
• Harrison between 24th and 25th

How to Get to Carnaval San Francisco

Carnaval San Francisco and its sponsors recommend a variety of ways to get to Carnaval San Francisco via public transportation.

The BART stations in closest proximity to Carnaval San Francisco are the 24th Street Mission station and the 16th Street Mission station. Once exiting either station, revelers should walk east down 24th or 16th Streets, five blocks to the festival area on Harrison Street. Accessing the Carnaval San Francisco Grand Parade on Sunday, May 25 via BART is just as easy, as the parade starts at 24th and Bryant Streets, heads up 24th Street, down Mission Street, and back down 16th Street to Harrison Street.

Several Muni lines also run to the Mission District and information can be found at www.sfmuni.com. In addition, samTrams will offer service to San

Francisco from the South Bay. Information can be found at www.samtrans.com.

For travelers coming from Marin County, ferry information can be found at www.goldengateferry.org.

Those coming to Carnaval San Francisco via air transportation, Carnaval San Francisco recommends traveling with Southwest Airlines. Southwest flies from all over the United States to San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose and Sacramento. For flight schedules, reservations and information, please visit www. Southwest.com.

To help plan your public transportation to and from Carnaval San Francisco, 511 Info has created the TakeTransit Trip Planner(SM), a useful tool for planning public transit trips. To access, please visit www.511.org.

All weekend long at Carnaval San Francisco, a special taxi lane will be designated at 16th and Harrison Streets. Carnaval San Francisco attendees should have no trouble catching a cab at this location from one of the many San Francisco cab companies. Warning! Read this notice about San Francisco taxicabs! Phone numbers and fare rate information is included.

For attendees using their own transportation to get to Carnaval San Francisco, additional public parking will be available in two spacious lots located at 24th & Utah streets and 22nd & Bartlett streets. Bike parking will even be available in the PG & E lot near the corner of 17th and Harrison streets.

Other Helpful Resources:
Restaurants in San Francisco - Inside Tips - the Ultimate Guide
San Francisco's Fabulous Lesbian Chefs
San Francisco's Best Beefsteak Hamburger Joint
Coffee in the Castro
Presidio of San Francisco - See What's New!
Restaurants at the Presidio
SFMTA/Muni - Public Transportation in San Francisco
Ferry Schedule links from Bay Crossings
Stern Grove Music Festival San Francisco 2008
Memorial Day San Francisco 2008 at the Presidio
California Election June 3rd: Resources and San Francisco Contacts
Farmer's Market Breakfast at the Ferry Building, June 7th

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