Sunday, May 19, 2013
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Murales and 'shoe tossing' in the Mission
I always wondered the reason behind the hanging shoes. Apparently there’s no explanation or in fact there are too many.
‘A number of criminal explanations have been proposed as to why this is done. The foremost is bullying in which a bully steals a pair of shoes and puts in a position where the victim cannot reach it. Some also say that shoes hanging from the wires advertise a local crack house where crack cocaine is used and sold. It can also relate to a place where heroin is sold to symbolize the fact that once you take heroin, you can never "leave": a reference to the addictive nature of the drug. Others claim that the shoes so thrown commemorate a gang-related murder, or the death of a gang member, or as a way of marking gang turf. A newsletter from the mayor of LA cites fears of many Los Angeles residents that "these shoes indicate sites at which drugs are sold or worse yet, gang turf", and that city and utility employees had launched a program to remove the shoes. However, the practice also occurs along relatively remote stretches of rural highways that are unlikely scenes for gang murders, and have no structures at all to be crack houses. Other less criminal explanations have been ventured for the practice. In some cultures, shoes are flung to commemorate the end of a school year, or a forthcoming marriage as part of a rite of passage.’
‘A number of criminal explanations have been proposed as to why this is done. The foremost is bullying in which a bully steals a pair of shoes and puts in a position where the victim cannot reach it. Some also say that shoes hanging from the wires advertise a local crack house where crack cocaine is used and sold. It can also relate to a place where heroin is sold to symbolize the fact that once you take heroin, you can never "leave": a reference to the addictive nature of the drug. Others claim that the shoes so thrown commemorate a gang-related murder, or the death of a gang member, or as a way of marking gang turf. A newsletter from the mayor of LA cites fears of many Los Angeles residents that "these shoes indicate sites at which drugs are sold or worse yet, gang turf", and that city and utility employees had launched a program to remove the shoes. However, the practice also occurs along relatively remote stretches of rural highways that are unlikely scenes for gang murders, and have no structures at all to be crack houses. Other less criminal explanations have been ventured for the practice. In some cultures, shoes are flung to commemorate the end of a school year, or a forthcoming marriage as part of a rite of passage.’
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Adventure on Mt Diablo
Yesterday I had a pretty scary adventure on Mt Diablo.
The description on the site was quite tame: ‘Frequent stops will be made to enjoy and identify the wide variety of spring wildflowers before they fade way for the season. This hike is about seven miles with about 1300 feet elevation gain.’
It was hot (around 34 degrees) and the walking path was dry. Half way through I started to feel very dizzy and I had to walk back. After 20 minutes an older lady joined us in what become a mission to get back safely. I was scared for the lovely lady and myself. She kept saying she was fine, but she clearly wasn't.
We met a volunteer who gave us some water and decided to tell us a very comforting story about a guy that died dehydrated on the same route.
Intense clouds of flying insects made the journey even harder. Surprisingly I wasn’t so bothered by them although this morning I wasn’t too happy when I felt one of the flying creatures crawling up my neck.
We made it back ok. I wish someone had told us the hike was for pro.
When I woke up this morning I was happy to have lived through this unexpected adventure.
The pictures were taken before things got difficult and when I started to feel sick I had no energy left to play photographer.
The description on the site was quite tame: ‘Frequent stops will be made to enjoy and identify the wide variety of spring wildflowers before they fade way for the season. This hike is about seven miles with about 1300 feet elevation gain.’
It was hot (around 34 degrees) and the walking path was dry. Half way through I started to feel very dizzy and I had to walk back. After 20 minutes an older lady joined us in what become a mission to get back safely. I was scared for the lovely lady and myself. She kept saying she was fine, but she clearly wasn't.
We met a volunteer who gave us some water and decided to tell us a very comforting story about a guy that died dehydrated on the same route.
Intense clouds of flying insects made the journey even harder. Surprisingly I wasn’t so bothered by them although this morning I wasn’t too happy when I felt one of the flying creatures crawling up my neck.
We made it back ok. I wish someone had told us the hike was for pro.
When I woke up this morning I was happy to have lived through this unexpected adventure.
The pictures were taken before things got difficult and when I started to feel sick I had no energy left to play photographer.
Quirky SF
Quirky SF should have its own blog dedicated to it. I’m sure it’s already out there.
Here is a dog wearing trainers. When I asked the owner why his dog had shoes he candidly replied: 'It’s hard to clean his paws!' Oh well! I guess ‘hard’ is relative just like everything else.
In the picture below we are at the gate of Chinatown where a guy was meditating to advertise a center of inner health. What’s more effective than practical demonstration?
In the picture below we are at the gate of Chinatown where a guy was meditating to advertise a center of inner health. What’s more effective than practical demonstration?
The Laundry - Part 3
In the US I seem to have an odd and entertaining relationship with the laundry department. In the flat where I recently moved I was supposed to have a washing machine, but it turns out I’m not allowed to use it so I had to go for the laundromat. This time I didn’t meet any crazy or cute guy, but I was amused by the decorations.
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