Concepts in the Paradox

For the second time, the N-Judah has been super hot on the way back from work. So again, I called 311 to let them know that the train A/C units aren’t working. The funny part was that since I’ve called 311 so many times to report problems, they just asked for my last name and knew who I was.

I can’t be the only one who calls in to complain, can I? I’ll assume they have me on auto complete.

Issue 70651: Hot train
Issue 75009: Hot smelly train

I would also ad “graffiti’d train” to both of those, but really, I just don’t want to be in a hot train when it is a perfect 70F outside.

Every day I come through Hallidie Plaza, often just known as the “Powell Bart” or “Powell Muni” station, on my way to my apartment in the Tenderloin. It isn’t the best part of my day, often I’m greeted by indigents begging for money, hordes of pigeons pecking away at trash, or someone, not even an indigents at times, urinating in the corner. On the way up and out of the plaza, I always see open air drug deals in broad day light, and if you come at 3am to the plaza… well, just don’t do it.

The Chronicle calls for the plaza to be filled in, citing it as another mistake of ’70s urban renewal. Years ago, the plaza was occupied by far more useful theaters, lost to the building of Bart and Muni Metro in the ’70s.

Coming out of Powell station was different today, however. Read more »

Since I’m going to be fairly busy this week, I’m going to go ahead and “officially launch” my two blogs ahead of Sept.1 launch date:

First:

LastMuni, the San Francisco transportation blog. You can add this blog as a Livejournal friend to read updates on your Livejournal friendslist: LastMuni syndication feed

Second:

XenJournal, the open source virtualization blog. You can add this blog as a Livejournal friend to read updates on your Livejournal friendslist: XenJournal syndication feed

On other projects, my thesis project is a go again. This is process suspension between virtual machines in a cluster, the idea being to pause unwanted processes that talk over tcp and resume them at a later time.

I have two more projects in the pipeline, one will be an NLP blog in about 6-8 months and the other is a “Muni survival guide”. If any one wants to help me with the MSG, let me know and I’ll add you to the wiki for edits.

Every morning, I wake up to the sound of th 31 line making it’s first run. I’m not sure how I can hear it, it is all the way down the block, but my alarm goes off and shortly after I hear, “Thirty-one Bal-boa, to Main and Mission”. It is sort of a surreal sound to hear in those first 30 seconds when my brain is slowly coming back to reality.

I’m working my away from bagels and frozen waffles in the morning. I picked up a few cook books in the dollar bin at Borders and have been flipping through them. Tomorrow morning I’m going to try for scrambled eggs. The last time I tried, I ended up with eggs fused to the pan. This time I’m prepared, with (soy) milk this time. That’s what was missing!

On the morning ride to work, I’m reading Tipping Point. Quite a few people at work have been reading it, along with some of the morning commuters. It’s sort of weird to turn around and see two other people reading the same exact book.

The book is basically about memes and humans create and respond to them. One of the interesting points I’ve came across is that there are three different types of people involved in creating memes, and when I say memes I mean things like the latest fashion trend, crime waves, the spread of stds, or even the number of car wrecks in a week. Author Malcolm Gladwell calls them “Tipping Points”, but really they are memes.

The three types of people are the Salesman, the Connector, and the Mavin. The salesman is what he sounds like, he talks people into things. He let’s people know it is okay to do something, like purchase a car. Then there is the Connector, he knows everyone, though few very well. This is the guy that throws out peoples’ names left and right, and knows about this great restaurant down the street. Finally there is the character I identify with most, the Maven. This is the guy that has been down to the great restaurant down the street, knows which are the least expensive menu items for the maximum food, and is always listening for new random tidbits, and buys into the details.

It’s a fairly good book, Gladwell is a good writer and keeps a repetitive and back-referencing style so a slow Bart-and-lunchbreak-reader like myself can keep up with the topics presented.

If you’re tired of bitching about Muni, now here’s your chance to do something about it. I’ll be there, but I won’t be buying anyone drinks at Trad’r Sam. :) Well, maybe the mayor.

Spread the link.

(What is a BRT?)

Sometimes the battles come to me, some times I come to the battles.

The first is the case of the battle coming to me is the new jet-sounding air exhaust system that the Parc 55 Renaissance Hotel installed just outside my apartment’s window a couple weeks ago. It is huge, loud, and runs full blast because of the latest heat wave to hit California. I’m not the only one who has to be annoyed by these buzzing fans, since the entire south side of the building faces them and I can hear it from the street level too.

The first stage of this battle is to look up noise ordinances, contact the San Francisco Tenants Union, and send the Parc 55 a letter. If that fails, I may have to resort to getting a lawyer as stage 2.

The second is the case of me coming to the battle is the GoGeary movement to implement a BRT system along the Geary corridor. While this is a good idea, it isn’t the best idea. Do we need more diesel powered vehicles on the road? They are noisy, uncomfortable to ride, and have short useful life times. Why they don’t expand the light rail to Geary is beyond me. Well, actually, it isn’t. Local business are meddling in the deployment of light rail, fearing that it will cost them business due to parking spots being lost.

I don’t know about you, but if I can take a non-crush capacity vehicle to your business, I’ll likely spend money. Why a another vehicle in Muni’s fleet? Why not the devil we know, the Breda cars?

I’ve been doing some research, of which I’ve made some very interesting finds on both San Francisco’s internal workings as well as just how a BRT will not help the dire situation the 38-Geary line is in. I’m going to prepare a 2-minute statement and let Muni and the GoGeary folks know during the project meeting on July 29th.

Heck, I don’t even take the Geary line anymore. I moved because it was just so bad — the downtown area transit is so much better. And guess what, it is mostly electric rail!

We have to set the president.

Go here to see why Muni buses are in such bad shape: Kids proudly damaging multiple trolleys.

(reported to sfpd via rescuemuni)

The Transportation Commission pulled $5.3m out of car registration fees for 3 more spare the air days. So guess what? Transit is free tomorrow. [Linky linky].

I was wondering why my DMV fees were so high — so enjoy a ride on one of the 25 transit agencies on my dime. No really, go ahead, and don’t forget to exit using the rear doors (STEP DOWN!!!).

(ridership goes up 10%, or 155,000 people, on STA days)

Hi Muni. I see you are 20 minutes late to our outing, as usual.

38L, GEARY LIMITED, TO TRANSBAY TERMINAL.

Listen, I know we’ve been having some fights, and well…

NEXT STOP: FILLMORE

You do a pretty poor job at keeping yourself clean…

NEXT STOP: LAGUNA

…and I don’t know about all these strangers you pick up.

NEXT STOP: O’FARRELL AND VAN NESS

I guess what I’m trying to say is… sigh.

EATING, DRINKING, AND SMOKING ARE PROHIBITED ON ALL TRANSIT VEHICLES

Then there are your issues with food and a good smoke. I just don’t think we are on the same page.

NEXT STOP: JONES — TAYLOR

I’ve been seeing someone else. I thought this was the best time to tell you.

A MUNI SECURITY REMINDER: ON CROWDED BUSES, ALWAYS PROTECT PURSES AND WALLETS.

I think I’m just going to see BART exclusively for a while. We can still be friends, okay?

*DONG DONG* PLEASE EXIT THROUGH THE REAR DOORS

Don’t be mad. I know we see each other every day now, but maybe we need some distance.

LAST STOP: POWELL

Goodbye Muni. I have your FastPass if I need you get ahold of you.

THANK YOU FOR RIDING MUNI.

I’m moving. Not away from San Francisco, of course, but closer to downtown. I’m moving to the east edge of the Tenderloin, near Union Square. I found a nice penthouse apartment for just a little more than what I’m paying now for my Pac. Heights place. I ink the deal Saturday.

Features:

• Ninth floor private entrance

• Hardwood floors in main room
• New kitchen (no d/w though)
• New bathroom
• View of SoMA and the Mission
• I won’t have to take Muni to work any more. That’s right, F* YOU Muni.

Oh, and it has a shared deck on the opposite side of my unit.

Photos coming soon!