Mission Mission

City Insider reports:

On Jan. 28, two tractors that were used to construct the park’s playground — a $3 million renovation — were discovered damaged at a cost of up to $20,000, said Connie Chan, a spokeswoman for the city’s Recreation and Park Department.

In addition, branches on up to three medium-sized trees were cut, glass on three lampposts was smashed and 20 to 30 plants ready to be installed were thrown around, all at a cost of up to $5,000, Chan said. A gardener discovered the damage around 6 a.m. that Saturday.

The tractors were removed from the site and much of the damage was cleaned up, Chan said. This morning, vandals struck again, damaging the replacement equipment, she said.

Chan fears this may be some sort of organized effort. And it’s working because the playground is no longer expected to open on time. Read on. (Thanks, Herr Doktor Professor Deth Vegetable.)

[Photo by Dolores Park Works]

And apparently this message is rated PG-13.

[Submitted by Kseniya M via our Facebook wall. Thanks, Kseniya!]

Now if we’re talking about a brachiosaurus, that’s an entirely different matter!

And don’t forget that today is Official Kitten Sleep Appreciation Day!

Remember to support your local video store!  And this one too!

[Photo by the impeccable Greer]

And I love it too!  Perhaps it’s the location and delightful panaderia aroma wafting out every time I pass by on my way home from work, or maybe it’s the fact that there’s always a bunch of dudes watching soccer in there, but there’s something about this place that gets me.

What’s your favorite panaderia spot?

If it’s good enough for Timmy, I guess we better think about revising our so-so review.

[via Inside Scoop]

My sister (pictured) made a song out of a bunch of spam comments her blog Adventures in Audio got, and it rules:

Spam Poetry Song by Elisa’s Audio Adventures

Read about her process here.

(Now excuse me while I go do something similar with everything Cranky Old Mission Guy has ever said. It will be much longer.)

(Thanks, Rob T.!)

Discarded in a gutter as though it were… anything other than pizza. Tragic.

[Chappelle on SF streets in 2007 pic by sam.soneja]

Dave Chappelle was here in the Bay Area last week. He did two nights at Yoshi’s in Oakland. Did anyone get to see him? My mom did, and she was there until about 4:30 in the morning. Here’s her report:

All night long with Dave Chappelle @ Yoshi’s in Oakland.

I’m a big fan of both stand up comedy and late night/after hours, when our defenses slip away and delirium seeps in. The rules change, and things take on different meanings. Beginning in the earliest hours of Tuesday morning, Dave Chappelle performed an all night, 4 1/2 hour set of stand up routine, improv (once asking the audience for movies that’ve touched us in some meaningful way. He had funny, irreverent jokes for every movie mentioned, ending with a soundtrack for Precious, as if it were sung by a Country artist), piano playing (a little Moonlight Sonata), and a profound look at a keenly intelligent man at work. I laughed until I cried a few times.

There were way too many not funny hecklers to contend with, and sometimes I thought he spent too much time responding to them and engaging with them.

He said his biggest regret was not selling out to Comedy Central, and also said he’s not comfortable with people who say they tell the truth all the time. Dave smoked about 500 cigarettes, drank 2 cups of coffee, didn’t have a sip of water, and talked all night long!

He also has some big guns from working out and says he’s on steroids.

Thanks Dave, that was a great time!

Barbara Graber.

Watch the full video, shot and edited expertly by reader Allen P., here: