Jonny Moseley, remember him? 1998 Olympic Gold Medalist in moguls and a Bay Area native. I wasn't here during the winter of 1998 but Scott tells me the guy was given a huge welcome home in Union Square and has had his fifteen minutes of fame. I give him credit he did win a gold medal, but what I read in the newspaper enraged me. Follow along....
In essence, Jonny Moseley was sitting around with the owner of some sports promotion outfit and thought it would be great to set up a ski jump (literally with snow) down one of San Francisco's steep streets in Pacific Heights. This all to celebrate his 30th birthday, get on MTV and promote his clothing line and the name of the promotion company. With little fanfare or public knowledge this event will be occuring on Fillmore Street between Broadway and Vallejo Streets next Saturday August 27th, 2005. 200 tons of snow will cover the 20% grade street and residents will not be allowed to enter in or out of their homes. The residents were notified only a week or two ago. Here is a link to the actual San Francisco Chronicle article.
So, now, I am never one to give residents of Pacific Heights any benefit of the doubt. This is the ritziest, flashiest neighboorhood in San Francisco. When Bill Clinton (note George Bush would never step foot in this city that gave him less than 15% of its vote) came to visit, you bet he made a stop somewhere in Pacific Heights. In fact, many of us here in San Francisco, mockingly call it "Specific Whites". But, I totally have to agree with the outrage that is coming from the residents there. Where was the community input? Where was the dialogue? How come they were notified only two weeks before the actual event? Last month, when San Jose brought a Grand Prix event to the streets of their city, they compensated the displaced residents and put them all up in a hotel. Not exactly a great solution, but at least it addressed the fact that the cars racing by would be a nuisance. The Chronicle article lists many other concerns that residents have that could result from the event, first and foremost the issue and damage that might be caused by the melting of 200 tons of snow!!! The purported two million dollar insurance policy the promotion company has taken out won't even pay for the first damaged rose bush claim that will probably be made.
So, residents of Pacific Heights, I urge you to make the biggest stink you can. Make life living hell for whoever approved the backroom deal. And all this for stinking Jonny Moseley? Come on dude, you can't even freaking spell your first name right!@!@!
1 comment:
While not sympathetic to the need of Mr. Moseley at all to ski where snow would nether-wise fall...
I did follow your link to your home page at the head-royce school. Which lead me to the link on the homework syllabus for statistics, and then, to the link on effective question asking.
Which leads me to the point. All forms of those questions are kinds of rhetoric that also come up in politics. Orwell's relevance extends far beyond the fall of the Berlin Wall: His insights into language and meaning are useful, even when the enemy is us.
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