Happy Presidents' Day #3 -- February 21, 2011

Presidents' Day commemorates all Presidents, some good, some not so good.

James A Garfield didn't have much time to prove whether he was a good president or a bad one. An Ohio native, like many other presidents, he reached the rank of Major General in the Civil War. In the 1880 election, he defeated another general, Winfield Scott Hancock, and became the youngest man elected president up to that time. Four months after his inauguration, Charles Guiteau shot Garfield twice in the Washington Baltimore and Ohio train station. Guiteau was called a disappointed office seeker, which gave impetus to Civil Service reform, but was basically a crazy person.

Garfield lingered for two months and might have recovered if his doctors had not tried so hard to find one of the bullets. After Garfield died, Guiteau admitted in his trial that he shot Garfield, but contended that the doctors had killed him. Unmoved, the jury convicted him and he was hanged.

When my family went to visit relatives in Ohio when I was young, we toured Garfield's home, Lawnfield.

I took the photo of the Garfield Monument in Golden Gate Park on 03-January-2009.

BART Giants Halloween -- October 28, 2010

The agents at the Montgomery Street BART Station decorated for the World Series and Halloween. Fortunately the Giants and the holiday share the same colors. I took the photo today.

At lunchtime it felt as if it was going to rain soon.

Lady Antebellum did a nice National Anthem. Bobby Thomson's daughters threw out the first pitch.

The Giants beat the Rangers 9-0 in the second game of the World Series. Matt Cain did a great job. I'm in a good mood.

Benny Bufano #1 -- October 13, 2010

Benny Bufano was born in Italy but came to America when he was three. He grew up in New York, but came to San Francisco to work on sculpture for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition. He spent many years cadging meals from restaurants around town, including my grandfather's.

His statue of Doctor Sun Yat-sen, founder of the Chinese republic, stands in Saint Mary's Square. I took the picture today.
Yesterday it was way too hot. The temperature gauge in the elevator said 95F when I went down at lunchtime. Today it said 86F. Still warm, but much better.

Happy Flag Day #3 -- June 14, 2010

June 14 is Flag Day and it is also the anniversary of the 1846 Bear Flag Revolt, in Sonoma, where American and other settlers led by William B Ide rose up against the Mexican goverment of California and declared a California Republic. Some time around this date, William L Todd, nephew of Mary Todd Lincoln, created the original Bear Flag, which the rebels raised on a flagpole in the Sonoma Plaza. The California Republic faded away when the rebels learned that the United States had declared war on Mexico in June. The original Bear Flag burned in the 1906 Earthquake and Fire in San Francisco. The California state flag is based on the Bear Flag.

I took the photo of the second Bear Flag monument in Sonoma Plaza on 08-April-2010. I have not been able to find the name of the sculptor.

Hot Today -- June 12, 2010

It was very warm today. We took a drive down 280 to the Stanford Shopping Center. On the way, we discovered that our air conditioning was not working. It was in the 90s at Stanford. Back in Pacifica, it was only about 80F, but that was enough. After a bit of work, we went to 5 o'clock mass at Good Shepherd. A baby cried during communion. Father Greg said he has no trouble with crying babies. It's another form of worship.

After mass, I took the photo of Stella Pilgrim's statue of Jesus the Good Shepherd.

Robert Burns and the Piper -- March 2, 2010

I was on a conference call at work when a bagpiper started playing across the street at the RSI conference in the Moscone Center. He was wearing a kilt. It was raining hard when he started to play. This made me think of the photograph I took just yesterday of the Robert Burns memorial in Golden Gate Park. The statue, sculpted by Melvin Earl Cummings, was dedicated on 23-February-1908.

It was raining violently when I left the house this morning.

Mission San Juan Bautista #2 -- September 27, 2009

Thomas Marsh made this statue of Saint John the Baptist as a member of the local Ohlone tribe. It has stood in front of Mission San Juan Bautista since 2000. On the base are the symbols of the four evangelists, translated into Native American style.

I took the photo on 15-August-2009.

Brazen Horses -- June 17, 2009

Deborah Butterfield created a group of bronze horses, shaped to look like driftwood, and placed them in the courtyard at 425 Market. I took the photo today.


Over the weekend, the Giants swept the Athletics. Then the Angels swept the Giants. Sad.

Gene Valla, RIP -- March 23, 2009

Gene Valla, a longtime Yankees farmhand and son of San Francisco Seal Eugene Valla, has passed away. He was an infielder. His father was an outfielder. Gene was a World War II vet who owned the Blue Gum Restaurant and Motel in Willows. He was a good friend of one of my grandfather's partners.


I took the photo of the Seals statue behind Pac Bell Park in March, 2002.

The Ball Player -- January 9, 2009

Douglas Tilden created The Ball Player in 1889, while he was studying in Paris. It now stands on John F Kennedy Drive near the Conservatory of Flowers.

Bob Wilkins, host of Creature Features, has died. I remember when the show started on KTVU, Channel 2. I watched every week. I learned a lot about watching movies critically from his comments.

Good Shepherd School 40th Anniversary -- October 5, 2008

Today at 12 noon mass we celebrated the 40th anniversary of Good Shepherd School and the memory of Father Jerry Dybdul. My wife organized the mass. She got very stressed, but it came out well. The readers, including my daughter, did a good job. The bit where kids brought up symbols of the school was nice. The singers were very good. I've always liked the guy who plays the flugelhorn. Unfortunately, the chimes fell to the floor during communion. My wife thought it may have been Father Jerry expressing his disapproval of a few details. I said it's nice he still takes an interest ;0)


After mass, we processed down to the school, where Father Piers and Deacon Ben blessed a new garden dedicated to Father Jerry and his parents. He donated the statue just before he died.


There was a reception in the gym with old school pictures and yearbooks. Two good cakes. Boards set up by different classes to say what they liked about the school.



Hardly Strictly Bluegrass was playing when we went to my mom's house, but I couldn't hear the music.

Giants 2008 -- September 29, 2008

The Giants finished their season yesterday at 72-90 as Tim Lincecum defeated the Dodgers 3-1. He's a valid candidate for the Cy Young award.

They won only one more game than last year, but they were a lot more exciting. Lincecum did well. Bengie Molina was fun. The young players who came up, especially Pablo Sandoval, were always interesting. I have more hope for next season, if only they could find a power hitter. Peter Magowan turned the keys over to the new owner.

I took the photo of the new statue of Orlando Cepeda, on King near Second Street, on 16-September-2008.

Congress failed to pass a bailout today and the market closed 777 down. A record.

Update 01-October-2008: I forgot to mention that Omar Vizquel probably played his last game for the Giants on Sunday. He is either the best shortstop I have seen in person or right there next to Ozzie Smith.

Happy Admission Day -- September 9, 2008

We don't hear much about Admission Day anymore. Today is the 158th anniversary of California being welcomed into the Union.

Today I took this photograph of Douglas Tilden's Native Sons Monument, which commemorates Admission Day. I posted a detail view last year.

Anita Page died. People are posting about her all over the place and trying to qualify their statements about whether she was the last surving silent star (usually something like "who made movies as an adult").

Holy Week -- March 15, 2008

We went to reconcilliation and then Palm Sunday mass at Good Shepherd. I got to distribute palms after.

The Giants played their first game on KNTV, after spending their whole San Francisco career on KTVU.

I took the photo on 27-October-2007. It shows the statue of Christ the Good Shepherd, sculpted by parishoner Stella Pilgrim.

Cantor Center/Vallemar Station -- October 27, 2007

My daughter wanted to visit the Cantor Center at Stanford to study a statue for a paper she is writing. I had never been to the Rodin garden. I enjoyed seeing the statues outdoors. I was overwhelmed by the Gates of Hell and we all had a nice discussion about what some of the figures represented.

Today I took this photograph of his signature on "Adam".

Later in the day, we took our in-laws to mass at Good Shepherd. We were eucharistic ministers tonight. Then we went to dinner at Vallemar Station, which we had not visited for a few years. It is the most recognizable surving station of the the Ocean Shore Railroad, which went out of business in 1921. We enjoyed the food.

The World Series game was less enjoyable. The Rockies are now down 3 games to 1. It was 35 degrees during the seventh inning stretch.

Native Sons' Monument Detail #1 -- October 5, 2007

The monument to the Native Sons of the Golden West, a fraternal organization, has been located in a few places since is was erected in 1897. At first, it was near Mason and Market. Later it stood in Golden Gate Park. Now it is at Montgomery and Market.

I took this detail view of a California Grizzly head surrounded by snakes on 26-September-2007. It was made by Douglas Tilden, a San Francisco sculptor.

Giants 2007, RIP -- October 1, 2007

The 2007 season is over, or will be when the tie-breaker between San Diego and Colorado finishes. It is now tied in the 12th. I always get depressed when the regular season ends, but the Giants' midget-sized performance will make things worse. Thank Heaven they won their last game, against the Dodgers.

The Giants finished last. They managed brief spurts of playing well, but could never put together a consistent string of wins. It was good to see Benjie Molina and Tim Lincecum play well. I felt bad for Ray Durham during a couple of long bad streaks.

The Giants hosted the All Star Game. Barry Bonds won the career home run title. Barry Bonds is gone. Omar Vizquel and Pedro Feliz may be gone.

Pitchers and catchers will report in mid-February.

I took the photo of the Willie Mays statue on 21-September-2007.

Hu's at Short? -- September 28, 2007

The Giants are playing the Dodgers. The Dodgers' shortstop is Chin-Lung Hu from Taiwan. I said "I'm happy he's not playing first." My daughter laughed.

"Who's at short?"

"Yes."

"What is the name of the shortstop?"

"Hu."

"The shortstop."

"Hu is the shortstop."

"That's what I'm asking."

It's more fun than the game.

The Giants playing the Dodgers inspired to post a photo of the Juan Marichal statue. He was known for his kindness and gentleness with the Dodgers.

I took the photo on 21-September-2007.

Willie Mac Award and Other News - September 21, 2007

I went for a walk by Pac Bell Park, or whatever it is called this week, at lunch time. I wanted to take a photo of the Willie McCovey statue because today was the day the Giants were going to annouce the 2007 Willie Mac award and I wanted to write about it.

I was hoping Bengie Molina would win, and he did. He has been a great boost to the team and I am happy he is under contract for two more seasons.

As I passed the ballpark going each way, I noticed a lot of people going into the offices. I held the door open for a guy with a big box in his arms. I wonder if the activity had anything to do with the announcement later in the afternoon that Barry Bonds will not return to the Giants next year.

I am very happy that we had Barry Bonds with us for 15 years. I remember his father Bobby when he played for the Giants. I was sad when Barry signed with the Pirates.

I remember when we thought the Giants were leaving for Florida. Then the new owners came in and signed Bonds. Things got better after that.

Barry Bonds is the best player I have ever seen in person, except for Willy Mays.

I'm sorry to say it, but I think it's time that the Giants move on and try to build a new team. Barry is not much of a fielder any more, and he hasn't been in the lineup enough to make a difference this year.

I took the photo today. As I walked back across the Third Street Bridge, I wondered where they were going to put the Barry Bonds statue, and what action it will depict.