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Merits Of SFPD, NYPD Patrol Cars Debated

Andrew Dalton — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:40:33 GMT

In the latest New York vs. San Francisco pissing contest, noted New York startup wunderkind David Karp fired the first shot taking our fair city's choice of police patrol vehicles, "the most busted looking police cars." We happen to enjoy the understated, no-nonsense style of SFPD's Crown Victorias (really, there's no greater joy in this city than zipping down Gough Street in a Police Interceptor-turned-Taxi Cab). Thankfully for us, SFist pal (and current San Franciscan living in exile in NYC) Sexpigeon verbalizes our problem with NYPD's "insecure mess of an automobile." Observe:

Cheap-looking racing stripes, bumbling typography, pointless mantras, its seal crammed into some ignoble taint between the door and the wheel well.
I expected one of two things. One was sophistication. A crisp, chilly livery that casts a hush as it passes. And how slowly it passes, a prowler, a unknowable force about to strike. The other was rough-and-tumble. Like a ’70s cigarette ad or a ’60s pulp novel. Car seats that are beer-sticky and an “N.Y.P.D.” whose letters are flat-sided and brawling. Cars that smell of city vice. Cars that creep around with a hey-fuck-you-buddy grimace.

The NYPD’s cars are not sophisticated and not rough-and-tumble. They are the saddest possible thing: dull, dim-witted, and in no way representative of their city

Sorry, New York, in the name of Karl Malden, we're calling this round for San Francisco.

[Davidslog]
[Sexpigeon]

Week Around the -Ists

Brock Keeling — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 19:06:52 GMT

The cold weather - and holiday festivities - descended upon Gothamist. The Rockefeller Christmas tree was lit, Broadway stagehand finally ended their strike, and NASCAR decided to run their victory lap through Times Square. There were disturbing photographs revealing the working conditions in which many city manholes are produced and ninjas were also a hot topic, either robbing homes or entering into alibis. But the city was really rocked by how Rudy Giuliani's visits to his then-mistress (now wife) were billed to obscure city agencies - and how his wife used the NYPD like a taxi service. And on a final note, the New York Public Library faced some people (mostly Republicans) upset over an exhibit that includes mugshots of George Bush and his administration.

Big announcement for LAist this week: Editor Tony Pierce will be moving over to the LA Times to run all their blogs. Congratulations Mr. Pierce -- the -ist community is so proud! Other big news in Los Angeles came in the form of the unfortunate shooting of Rodney King (he's okay though). In books, dog whisperer Cesar Millan presented his book by signing only, disappointing some fans waiting to hear what he had to say and in the fine arts, they saw the most offensive Christmas show. They also found that Hollywood industry parties are a bust, that sex is safer in a Nevada brothel than on a Valley porn set and that G4TV's Olivia Munn is as wicked cool as we all hoped she would be. And what's December without the Best of 2007 lists? DJs from KCRW start it off.

Phillyist got some family dirt but survived it with the aid of a little wine. They also checked out a great model train display, saw green, and brightened some kids' holiday seasons.

American Fusion

rita — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 13:17:08 GMT

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Even though there's no film fests in town, we stopped by the movie theater and checked out American Fusion, which opened this past weekend at the Sundance Kabuki. This film totally reminded us of a ~~Jimmy Kimmel~~ Patton Oswald joke we heard a few years ago that references the breaks one gets upon growing older.

Well, the wickedly funny Taiwanese grandmother, played by Lan Yeung, was not 100 (which according to Oswald, entitles one to kill anyone with their bare hands if possible), but close enough. She had us doubled over many many times throughout this film with her irreverent (and very unabashed) cultural stereotyping. If you’ve ever had a grandparent or elderly relative who resorts to blackmailing you into compliance with their not-so-subtle threats that they’re gonna kick the bucket any day now - or if you’ve ever had to witness their inappropriate ethnic comments (to put it nicely) in public -- then you know exactly what we’re talking about.

It’s not just about Grandma, though. American Fusion is an in your face portrait of intergenerational family conflict that almost anyone can relate to in part (and some probably all too well). It features former NYPD Blue hottie Esai Morales (what’s the latest on his legal woes?!), aka Dr. Martinez, the Mexican dentist who steps directly into granny’s path when he makes a move on her middle-age daughter, Yvonne (Sylvia Chang). There are plenty of cameos in the film, including one by Pat Morita (R.I.P.), the beloved Mr. Miyagi from The Karate Kid.

American Fusion continues at the Sundance Kabuki, and opens this Friday at the Oaks Theatre in Berkeley.

p.s. Any word on when the new Sundance café (that replaced Pasta Pomodoro) next to the theater is gonna get its liquor license? It’s about time!

SFist Wendy, contributing.

SFist Wendy's back at the theater!

Anarchy Out The EssEff

jackson — Mon, 28 Mar 2005 17:48:36 GMT

Here in The City, hordes of anarchists are as mundane as hordes of shoppers at Union Square or crab-cracking tourists at Fisherman's Wharf. But in the rest of the country -- particularly over there on that other coast -- they're seen as a danger to everything that's good and right with America, even if they're just fun-loving kids with a taste for Emma Goldman.

First, the Tenth Annual Bay Area Anarchist Bookfair which Rona Marech wrote-up in the Chron got the attention of one of the pseudo-Wonkettes, Greg Beato (hey, Ana Marie's first novel isn't going to write itself). Check out the cute accordion-playing anarchist -- we will always maintain that the best place to meet people in our fair city is at any kind of political activity. We have to restrain ourselves from cruising at every protest.

Then, checking in with our friends at Gothamist because we wanted to see if they'd caught artist Banksy's NYC art-pranking that we found on the Cephaloblog, we find out that the NYPD is cracking down on their Critical Mass rides, arresting 37 people last Friday, and were reminded once again why we left that city for this one. Anyway, seems the NYPD want Critical Mass, which started here in San Francisco and has since spread around the world, to get a permit for their monthly rides. The nerve! But what can you expect from a city government that would never, ever do something like this to an office in City Hall.

Chronicle photo by Liz Hafalia.

Bad Dogs, Bad Dogs, Whatcha Gonna Do?

jackson — Tue, 20 Jul 2004 09:39:54 GMT

Awright! The Chronicle breaks the story that the next season of Animal Planet's Animal Cops will be filming in the great city by the Bay! The show, for those of you without Animal Planet on your cable package, follows ASPCA officers on a variety of animal care and control situations. There's complaints about noise to be handled, animal cruelty cases to be solved, emergency trips to the city vet, colorful anecdotes of clashes with owners, neighbors, and other police officers - it's like NYPD Blue, except with dogs.

The first wildly-successful season, Animal Precinct, was set in New York, and there have been subsequent spinoffs, Animal Cops: Detroit and Animal Cops: Houston. The producers tell the Chron that in Houston, abuse often involves horses, in Detroit, it's dogfighting, and in New York, it's dogs neglected in backyards. They also report that we should expect "a large number of dog bites" in the Bay Area.

Given our city's notable history with animal/human confrontations (the Presa Canario murder trial, the cat-hoarding lady in Petaluma, the animal adoption center that's arguably nicer than our homeless shelters) and our usual reputation for the wacky, the show looks to be a Tivo-season-pass-worthy event.

Animal Cops: San Francisco will start airing on Animal Planet in October.