The San Francisco Department of Building and Inspection has been engaged in a high-stakes standoff with tech magnate Elon Musk's social media company, now rebranded as "X" from Twitter.

Musk has been attempting to change the signage at its Market Street headquarter building to reflect the rebrand, but has already been foiled by the city a few times. Earlier this week, the San Francisco Police Department stopped the company from taking down the iconic "@twitter" signage when it lacked the necessary permits (leaving one sign that just read “er.”)

On Friday, the company installed a giant black sign that says “X” on the roof, according to the Chronicle. But it has run into the same issues: Replacing letters or symbols or erecting a sign on top of city buildings requires a permit for design and safety reasons. And the Chronicle reported that the city’s permit database has no records of any recent applications at the building.

Of course, San Francisco opened a complaint and launched an investigation. But when city workers went to visit, they say that they were denied access to the roof for two consecutive days, on Friday and Saturday, according to Deadline. Reportedly, representatives and building maintenance engineers said they didn’t have to allow inspectors on-site because the structure was temporary and intended for an event.

While the black X is thin and barely visible from the street, it lights up and pulses aggressively at night, according to videos on social media.

So we'll see what happens next week.

And in classic Musk fashion, he remains defiant, even pinning a post atop his X page with a video of the structure. He also posted about how he’s committed to staying in San Francisco even as he trashed the city.

“Many have offered rich incentives for X (fka Twitter) to move its HQ out of San Francisco,” he wrote. “Moreover, the city is in a doom spiral with one company after another left or leaving. Therefore, they expect X will move too. We will not. You only know who your real friends are when the chips are down. San Francisco, beautiful San Francisco, though others forsake you, we will always be your friend.”

PREVIOUSLY: Twitter's Name Change to 'X' Gets Botched at SF Headquarters, Which Now Has a Sign That Says 'Er'

Feature image by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images of an aerial view of workers installing a large X on the roof of the former Twitter headquarters on July 28, 2023 in San Francisco, California.

The chaos at Twitter might be hard to keep up with, but ICYMI, owner Elon Musk announced Sunday that the company would undergo a sudden name change to "X” and all branding would follow suit.

Less than 24 hours later, that apparently involved the Market Street headquarter building, where contractors tried — and failed — to take down the iconic "@twitter" signage, according to the Standard. Apparently, they lacked the necessary permits for equipment on the street — and the San Francisco Police Department quickly stepped in to shut it all down around 12:50 p.m.

Reportedly, that left the 10th Street side of the building with a sign that only said “er.” (Same.)  The Market Street side of the sign remained intact. The bird logo remains, despite Musk’s announcement on the platform that “soon we shall bid adieu to the Twitter brand and, gradually, all the birds."

Supervisor Matt Dorsey was also on the scene, and reportedly pointed to a Cruise robotaxi that seemed to be confused by the work equipment at 10th Street. "This is so 2023,” he said.

Amid the spectacle, social media users posted photos and videos of the botched attempt. Twitter's — er, X’s — own trending topics include “#RIPTwitter,” filled with reactions and jokes.

The New York Times reported that the San Francisco headquarters will also soon see conference room names changing to words with the letter X in them, such as “eXposure,” “eXult” and the exceptionally cringeworthy “s3Xy."

The ultimate goal for Elon is reportedly to turn Twitter into an “everything app” called X with everything from social networking to banking to shopping. He's already launched a shell company in Nevada called X Corp., and earlier this month launched an AI company called xAI — and he's even named one of his own children "X."

It should be noted that the attempt to do some unpermitted work follows the pattern described in a lawsuit brought by several former Twitter employees in May, one of whom alleged that Musk and his team wanted a bathroom installed next to his office without a permit and without a licensed contractor.

Related: Something Else Is Happening With Twitter as Musk Sets Up New Company Called X Corp., Based In Nevada

Feature image via Justin Sullivan/Getty Images.

Residents in the Inner Richmond, concerned about late-night violence in the area, lost their appeal to overturn the Geary Boulevard Jack in the Box's after-hours permit, which allows the crud-food chain to remain open until 4 a.m. The brouhaha over their permit began after a firefighter was mowed down by a jerk in an SUV after a verbal argument that began at the Jack in the Box.

Though initially forced to close early following the incident, the Jack in the Box will be allowed to stay open provided the staff gets better training (something about picking up trash outside the restaurant) and they hire two security guards.

While folks in the Inner Richmond are understandably concerned about increasing melee in the area, the fast-food joint's appeal survival is a surprise in a city that has, over the last decade, continued to ebb away at after-hours establishments and nightlife. While keeping a Jack in the Box open until 4 a.m. isn't a huge victory for nightlife crusaders, it's a start.

[SF Ex]

After a booze-infused altercation between two tipsy men at the Geary Boulevard Jack in the Box resulted in an intentional hit-run at a gas station, angry residents started a petition to stop the fast food joint's late-night party. As of now, the Ultimate Cheeseburger hawker waits to reclaim their 24-hours status—something far too rare in San Francisco these days. But the fast food joint in question draws an unsavory crowd, usually from neighboring bars, looking for a quick high fructose corn syrup fix.

As Richmond SF reports, "Since the incident, it was revealed that the Jack in the Box was staying open 24 hours a day, despite not having the required city permits to do so. As a result, they were forced to cut their hours and close at 2am every night." Now they want the Entertainment Commission to reinstate the permit, which "would enable them to stay open between 2am and 6am every night."

And residents are none too thrilled. Rightfully so. What reason are petition signers giving to nix Jack in the Hole's 24-hour status? Let's see:

>> "This business is a magnet for vagrants and drunks. I work a block away and see on a daily basis. It would be great to be rid of JOB during the day as well." --Rita O'Hara

>> "I have lived in the Richmond district since 1979. In 1979, I had a friend who lived just up the street from Jack in the Box on 11th Avenue, and even then I heard constantly from him (and he was 22! ) was about what an nuisance it was for the neighborhood late at night, the noise, the litter, the drunks. That was well over THIRTY years ago." --Susan Frey

>> "too much violence and the owner did not have the proper permits to operate, he was asked to have a guard and refused" -Deborah Walker

>> "Even though I don't live in the Richmond, I have many friends and colleagues who have suffered these annoying and dangerous thugs. I support their effort to create a safer, cleaner and more prosperous commercial district." --Patricia Christensen

Sounds reasonable. (However, these people obviously never had a late-night craving for their nasty two tacos for a dollar deal. They're heavenly, fried, and each taco boasts a slice of 'Merican Cheese.) The ghoulish hit-run occurred on Thanksgiving Day when Eduardo Esquivel allegedly got into a physical altercation with Albert Bartal at the Jack in the Sack on 11th Avenue and Geary. After the two were separated, Bartal then left the restaurant, but Esquivel decided to get into his SUV, follow Albert to a nearby gas station, and then plow his vehicle into the victim. Bartal remains hospitalized.

Jack in the Crack's permit hearing will go down on January 10th when the Entertainment Commission meets at 6:30 p.m. in room 400 at City Hall. As of now, the online petition, which can be found here, only has 105 out of a needed 1,000 signatures.

KGO reports that around fifteen people lined up along 10th Street all weekend, starting at 4:30 a.m. on Friday morning, in anticipation of landing a coveted DPW food truck permit this morning. The supervisors recently ruled on making the permit process less full of red tape (ha!) and much cheaper, slashing the price from $10,000 to $3,000.

There were only a limited number of permits being given out today, and those in line will be able to renew the permits every year. Those who didn't stand in line all weekend might be out of luck for years to come, until they change the system, according to Subs on Hubs owner Jon Ranis, who spoke to KGO.

SF Citizen brings up the issue of corporate welfare in regards to this convoluted process.

Update (3/21/11): The conflict has been resolved!

Everyone's favorite columnist, Andy Rooney C.W. Nevius, came out with an article this morning about Little Bird Coffeehouse's ongoing fight to obtain a new permit allowing outside seating on the sidewalk.

The one guy who is single-handedly responsible for blocking the permit has caused a lot of grief for area residents through the years. He was somehow able to gate off the alley where he lives off of Post Street near Hyde, which is a public street, and he reportedly blocks the creation of any new murals in the neighborhood, among other things.

We have to wonder if this is also the guy who killed the outdoor happy hour up the street at Cup-A-Joe.

SFist mentioned a while back that we're a regular customer at Little Bird, and we just started working there a few hours per week. (Come on in and say hi some time!)

Read more about Little Bird over at Tenderblog.

Hey, remember how Ed Jew tried to strong-arm Quickly stores into giving him $80,000 for permits? Permits "required of franchise operations in the City?" Well, Sarah Phelan at SFBG reports that today -- well after a court day has been set for the disgraced former supervisor, who is at a safe distance arranging tasteful bouquets at his family's flower shop -- Quickly stores STILL don't have their required permits, and no one, it seems, is doing a thing about it.

But that's not that fun part. It's this: Stuart Hanlon, Jew's lawyer, tries to toss blame at Supe Board Prez Aaron Peskin for the continuing lack of permitlessness with Quickly stores in the City. Hanlon tells Phelan that "[t]hey have one in [board president Aaron] ... Peskin's district that Peskin has done zero about."

Oops. Then, SFist's favorite bear/City Hall employee responded thusly. Ahem:

Stuart Hanlon can go fuck himself. The guy shouldn't be using my name as he does, and if he and his client had any idea how law worked, Ed would not be in a deep pile of trouble. The Planning Department is fully aware of all the violations of Quicklys throughout San Francisco, including my district. The fact that the Planning Department is not doing their job with speed and alacrity has nothing to do with us lawmakers.

He said the f-word. Tee hee.

Anyway, read more about how this chain is allowed to thrive sans permit. (Sonic and Wendy's? We wait patiently for your spores to drop.)