Mission Mission

If you were in Union Square on May 21st and saw some bodies floating towards the heavens, it’s probably because local science rock band the Phenomenauts staged their own rapture there. Curious about what it takes to bring about the end times? Apparently it’s no easy task: nobody sells hydrogen on judgement day, it takes a lot of balloons can lift a blow-up doll, and you need a full-size bus.

Watch their hilarious making-of video for the scoop:

Science and honor!

The Fog Bender was on the scene:

the other day i was at the park enjoying the sun and a beer and i heard a “thunk” sound followed by about 15 people all go  “OHHHHH!!”  i look and see a crowd gathering around a guy holding the pigeon which he accidentally knocked out of the sky with a frizbee so naturally i took a couple pictures and shook my head with pity for the poor winged rat.

Wow. That must be a 180-gram tournament-quality Frisbee. I just hope the victim wasn’t our majestic friend from last week.

[link]

Scope St. Mary’s Cathedral, all the way up at Geary, looking like it’s looming over the Mission. Here’s a closer look:

P.S. We made this observation before we got to the park and started eating truffles, so don’t try pulling that card.

Reclining luxuriously in Dolores Park, gazing off into the distance, ignoring his average-proportioned friends.

Oh wait.

Our favorite irate aged mission fella brings us this news:

Last night, all the palm trees at the 16th Street & Mission BART Plazas were sawed-off — both sides. Don’t know why, but the BART website says that, back in 2009, one tree had to be removed because it was dead. These trees did not appear to be dead, but it might have been a case of vermin control — they were hosts to hordes of pigeons — in which case, blame Swan.

Anyone know the real reason why the trees were extracted? My first guess would have been coconut related injuries, but I doubt these oversized monocots were fruit-bearing.

Update:

Mr. Eric Sir took a nearly-identical picture! Is Mr. Eric Sir Cranky Old Mission Guy’s alter ego?

Update 2:

triple0 adds that this might be a part of a public works project:

In 2009 at the Mission Streetscape Public Workshops, they said that BART planted them without considering the root systems, so they were stunted and going to be removed at some point, likely in preparation for re-doing the BART station. But, that might have been 24th Street – I can’t remember.

City’s website about it: http://www.sf-planning.org/ftp/CDG/CDG_mission_streetscape.htm

Majestic!

I wonder if it’s a relative of that last majestic rock dove we saw.

[Photo by Helen]

Our buddy Doc put on an impromptu yo-yo clinic last night outside Bender’s. Vic tells the tale:

I requested the “Pentagram” yo-yo trick that I saw him do on YouTube. He did it flawlessly even after drinking all night. Note that this is an off-the-string trick. Meaning, during the trick he untwisted and detached the yo-yo from the string and went into a trick called the “Washing Machine” (which he invented) then did this, and reattached the string to the yo-yo before returning it to his hand.

Also, amazing yo-yo tricks aside, I’d like to point out how awesome it is that the “Pabst” logo appears upside-down on Doc’s right leg. More mysterious magic of the RAZR camera, the polaroid of our time.

Yes, if anyone’s interested, I am available for impromptu RAZR clinics outside Bender’s anytime. [link]

Update!

Here’s a video of this trick, done in front of Ritual Coffee

I mean, the wind nearly took down a whole theater marquee on Mission the other day, so I guess it’s not out of the question that it could’ve done this damage too. We Built This City offers up another explanation too:

Victim of yesterday’s wind? Or a drunken Saturday brouhaha? [link]

Okay, maybe some brawlers could’ve had a hand in this. OR, seeing as how this is right outside Bender’s, maybe bike parking was especially tough last night and it was a pile of bikes that felled this little sapling.

Ah, spring – that special time of year when the sun’s axis showers the Mission with scores of light buttons in all shapes and sizes. This year’s crop is already looking brilliant – the past week’s abundance of sun and 80 degree weather has them bursting at the seams across the street from Hog & Rocks.

But temps drop significantly over the next couple days. So you should probably get a “stomach ache” and “head home early” RIGHT NOW. (See you in the park!)

[Photo by stayp0sted]