Pedestrian imperiled by her own devices
An East Bay reader who calls himself the Postmaster observes, “A new member of our hominid family is at risk of being lost to us before we get a chance to know them . ... Their posture is slightly stooped, their thumbs are more developed than those of the rest of us, and they are capable of a fierce ability to concentrate. These traits work against them inhabiting our motorized, urban environment . ... They are the Meanderthals . ... Caution motorists to look out for them.”
To wit, a Nextdoor post from the Shafter neighborhood of Oakland:
“To the mom who forged into the street in front of my car while pushing the baby carriage with one hand, the dog on leash held in the other hand, and the cell phone clamped to shoulder by your head: Please forgive me. I couldn’t resist tapping my horn to give you a heads up . ... See, it was worth it to see you try to give me the finger, then yell the F-word at me and drop your phone.”
Some comments, apparently from non-multitasking neighbors, were positive. The person who posted was “possibly giving pedestrians (and that’s all of us) a heads up to the ‘dangers’ of being significantly ‘distracted,’ ” said one such response. Others were outraged. “Pedestrians are always more important than drivers,” said one. “How about asking if she needs help?” said another; and also, “Sorry you have such disregard for parents and the fact that they often have a lot to juggle.”
“How would you like to be Oakland Police Chief?” David Thomson emailed on Saturday. “Wednesday and Thursday are free.” P.S.: As to other news events: Larry Miller noted after the Warriors lost to the Cavs on Sunday, June 19, “Somewhere Mary Ann Singleton is smiling.” (Singleton, Armistead Maupin’s “Tales of the City” character, had moved to San Francisco from Cleveland.) Also smiling is the late George Gund III, co-owner of the Cavaliers from 1983 to 2005. Bloomberg News reported early this month that Gund’s brother Gordon, who was co-owner and after 2005, owner of a 15 percent share, was planning to sell his share of the Cavs. (One more thing: Warriors fans, don’t hold it against the restaurant, but Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue took his staff to Hillstone on the Embarcadero on Friday night, June 17.
At the 49th minute of the soccer match Thursday, June 16, at Kezar Stadium — the San Francisco City Football Club and Brigham Young University — commentator Charles Wollin read the names of the 49 victims of the shootings in Orlando.
Among the sponsors of this year’s S.F. Pride is PETA, promoting its new campaign pushing veganism. Flyers to be distributed during the parade will be emblazoned with images of entertainer Alan Cumming, described by PETA as a “gay vegan icon,” wearing a pink “Not a Dairy Queen” T-shirt.
Once again, Patrick Carney is looking for hammer-wielding glove-wearing volunteers on Friday, June 24 (to set up outline), and on Saturday, June 25 (to do the main installation) of the pink triangle atop Twin Peaks. On Sunday, after the parade, volunteers are needed again to take down he triangle. (More information: www.thepinktriangle. com.) In addition to the triangle in that traditional place, the management and homeowners association of Millennium Tower at 301 Mission will illuminate two new pink triangles on its roof. They will be visible toward the end of the week and all weekend.
As Jesse Hamlin described in his column last week, Chronicle sports columnist Bruce Jenkins’ new book is “Shop Around: Growing Up With Motown in a Sinatra Household,” about which he’ll be speaking at Copperfield’s in San Rafael at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 26.
Jenkins, whose father was the arranger-conductor Gordon Jenkins, says his mother was a musician, too, and the Jenkins household’s standards for music were high.
“I wasn’t in that class, and I knew it. And I really knew it one day in 1960, when I was 12, performing in a piano recital at the home of Nat King Cole (close friend of my dad; they made some great albums together). Little Natalie Cole was among the performers that day. I wasn’t all thumbs, but I felt painfully ordinary, and knew right then that my musical career was over. I wanted to be a sportswriter.”
PUBLIC EAVESDROPPING “Last night I had a dream about essential fatty acids.” Woman to woman, overheard in line at Whole Foods Market by Sean O’Donnell