Weekend Photos: See you tonight

Muni under the ramp 2
Photo by Flickr user kimchidonut

This week was particularly rollercoastery in the Muni news department. Some highlights:

– Over the weekend: Muni bus operator sent to hospital following attack (CBS 5)
Value of stolen copper wire from Sunset Tunnel: $60-66. (SF Weekly)
MTC report shows dismal future for transit operators (Streetsblog SF)
Muni operator becomes second female ‘gripman’ in cable car history (Examiner)
SFMTA board approves two-year budget by 4-3 vote; Muni cuts extended (Streetsblog SF)
Pedestrian Dies Following Muni Accident at Mission and Beale (SF Appeal)
– Wall Street Journal asks: What grade would you give NextBus?
Muni service cuts (see fifth item, above) could be pared back (City Insider)
Man killed by Muni light-rail vehicle at Castro Station (SF Appeal)

Whew! What a weird, shitty, wonderful week it was. It’ll be capped off by Eugenia and The Poetry Store‘s Silvi on Pirate Cat Radio today at 5, and of course, Muni Diaries Live! Breaking It Down at the Make-Out Room at 7:30. See you there!

Muni Wires Against the Sky
Photo by Flickr user Generik11

Creamed Cheese
Photo by Flickr user Whole Wheat Toast

Big Brother Is Watching You
Photo by Flickr user B4YK1D5

Mormons in the Mission via Muni

Fly Away on the Bus of My Dreams
Photo by Thomas Hawk

Ed. note: Okay, lately in the land of Muni news, things really suck, for Muni, for the victims and their friends and family, maybe for you… But we’re a story-telling site after all, and we received this charming story from Muni rider Daishin on Wednesday just before the tragic accident at Mission and Beale. It perfectly encapsulates why the show here must go on. See for yourself.

Occasionally I’m forced to take the 14 into La Mission. The last time I did this BART was having problems from Powell Station to 24th Street so I hopped a 14. At the second stop at Mission and 8th Street a gaggle of Mormon Missionaries boarded the bus. They were fresh-faced boys looking a little out of place with their dark suits, white shirts and ties. They were a little noisy for Mormon kids, laughing and poking each other. Three lovely transgendered ladies dressed to the nines got onto the bus right behind them. For a second I was concerned that maybe there would be some altercation between the two groups, being that the Mormons had just put so much support behind Proposition 8. But instead the trannies plopped themselves down in the middle of the Mormon boys, and started talking with them. Soon the level of the conversation was quite loud and humorous. They were exchanging ipod tunes lists, discussing fashion and make-up secrets. The trannies got off at 16th and Mission said goodbye and hugged all the Mormon boys.

I have to say it was one of the most interesting interactions I’ve experienced on Muni. I guess this is what people mean when they say there’s a lot of diversity in San Francisco.

Got a slice-of-San-Francisco-life story to tell? Tell it here.

iPhoneography: BART busking


Photo courtesy iPhoneography. One in a series by Flickr user zphone.

BART busking fascinates hell out of me. Since I was a kid and visited big cities, I was always enthralled with musicians, etc., who did their thing for the throes, the passersby. Most of them are really good, if you give them more than a passing listen. Do that sometime, eh?

File under: Projects I’d love to undertake, in some alternative life where I have time to undertake more projects.

Photo Diary: What are you rethinking?

Tee hee. A little something to get yer day started.

Rider James snapped this picture at the Powell Street Station. Perhaps the vandal was referring to the MTA board’s latest vote Tuesday to continue service cuts (Streetsblog SF) well into the 2011 fiscal year, which begins this summer, and 2012. A 10 percent service reduction will affect all Muni routes beginning May 8, 2010.

1 190 191 192 193 194 261