Mission Mission

Just to make you all remember who’s really in control!

More on Techcrunch.

Previously:

• Honestly, the only way for the protesters to get the Google bus out of the Mission is for them to stage a pedestrian getting run over by one
• The Google Bus: “If you want an iPhone, a Facebook profile, and Google Maps, this is part of the price you’ve gotta pay”

Yesterday’s corporate shuttle hearing at SF City Hall brought out supporters from all sides of the transportation controversy to have their opinions heard regarding the recent proposal to allow the shuttles to share public stops with Muni buses for a mere $1 (instead of hefty $300+ fine leveraged on normal citizens who get caught using the stops).  Community members came to describe how the presence of these shuttles has affected their daily lives, while tech workers attended armed with scripted talking points provided by Google itself.

I’m not going to cover the entire proceedings, as SFist’s Andrew Dalton has diligently provided a full account already, but the main arguments of each side were as follows:

• Tech:  If these shuttles didn’t exist, we would all just drive to Silicon Valley instead, and traffic would be terrible, pollution would run rampant, and the entire world would soon end.
• Community: Private corporate shuttles shouldn’t utilize public infrastructure in the first place, but the fact that they also cause Muni delays and contribute to excessive rent increases for housing is unacceptable unless the companies involved provide a meaningful contribution to the communities they are disrupting

In the end, the Board sided with Tech and will charge private shuttles a pitifully insignificant $1 per bus, per stop used.  Which is ridiculous.  The fact is that these shuttles are used as a recruiting tool, making it convenient to transport tech workers (who might otherwise choose to work in the city) down to the South Bay without them having to interact with undesirables.  God forbid they use the public transit already in place.  God forbid their companies invest in said public transit to help bolster its ability to ferry workers of all stripes around.

And no, these people wouldn’t simply drive to work if the buses didn’t exist.  Most would either move closer to their work or find jobs here in the city.  Basically, it’s how a company like Menlo-based Facebook can compete for young talent against SF-based Twitter.

Look, I get it.  Muni, BART, and CalTrain aren’t perfect.  But they’re not bad, and with a little help and some extra funds, they could be a lot better.  However, based on the Board’s decision, this help isn’t coming anytime soon.

[Photo by Steve Rhodes]

Previously:

• The Google Bus: “If you want an iPhone, a Facebook profile, and Google Maps, this is part of the price you’ve gotta pay”

How does one open this door? How does that doorknob even work? Does it work? Does it lead to some sort of fanciful kingdom full of crazy doors with doorknobs in the middle???

The mysteries of the universe are too vast to ponder this early in the morning.

No u-lock, no cable, not even to secure one of the wheels to the frame. Guy was just like “Kickstand and I’m out!”

In case you’re wondering, it was still there a couple hours later…

Even though “then” was just a little over a year ago, it feels sooo much longer:

But, as I’m sure you’ve noticed, times are changing, so now I suppose you’d better get used to this sort of sterile digital future:

And yes, I realize this is just Silent Disco and they’ve been doing it for years, so I guess I’m ok with it as long as the homeless folks get headphones too. To be clear, I’m not saying it’s bad, just different. Of course, this better not evolve into some sort of Demolition Man future sex.

[Photo by Sean Knox, via Dispatches from Entitlementistan]

Parked just down the street from the illustrious Verdi Club. Perhaps if Uber drivers drove these instead of those boring grandpa town cars, I might even be inclined to try them out for once!

Actually, NOPE.

LAist has all the details:

Burritobox has launched “the world’s first burrito kiosk,” as they claim on their website. The first box, which looks pretty much like an orange-colored RedBox kiosk, is sitting at the door front of the 24-hour Mobile gas station at 8380 Santa Monica Blvd. in West Hollywood and has been there for a couple of weeks. A second one will be hitting a Century City 76 station come Jan. 18.

Maybe the burritos aren’t nearly as bad as the frozen ones you can find at a 7-Eleven. The company boasts that the ingredients in their 100 percent natural burritos have no hormones or antibiotics, and their breakfast burritos have cage-free eggs. Say what?!

On top of that, the $3 (plus tax) burritos are customizable.The burrito varieties you can choose from include roasted potato with egg and cheese, uncured bacon with egg and cheese, chorizo sausage with egg and cheese, free-range chicken with beans and rice, and shredded beef and cheese, according to the Los Angeles Times.

You can also add sides such as sour cream, Tabasco, and guacamole to your order on the touch screen for an extra fee. After you complete your order, the vending machine plays a music video or ad to entertain you while you wait and then dispenses your burrito within a minute.

Would you try it?

[Via the best blogger in the world, Brock]

As Patti Dillion explains to the Bernal Heights History Project:

This is a photo of the interior of Dolan’s Bar which was at 3311 Mission St from about 1897 to 1919.  The Dolan Bros were:

• William T
• John E – her great grandfather and member of the SFPD
• Michael H – also of the SFPD
• Lawrence J – plumber by trade and elected to the CA State Assembly & Sheriff of San Francisco, appointed Sealer of Weights and Measures (second from the left in the photo)

Says Patti: “I’m wondering if someone has a photo of the exterior of the building from about the same time. I would love to see what it looked like back then.”

Can anyone help her out?

Stoop it!

[Photo via Hae Eun]

I mean, I guess it’s ok as long as you host a pool party for everyone when it’s all finished!