With the coming opening of the new deYoung museum, and its magnificent facade, the news of the new California Academy is very positive.  This is from Christopher Caen (of the Examiner):

However, the place to be reckoned with was the new Academy of Sciences. It is a remarkable and truly beautiful building, and Renzo Piano and his crew have done a magnificent job on behalf of our city. In fact, I think the organic, undulating Academy and the rusty-colored de Young offer a great contrast in style and execution, and as such are the perfect bookends to each other.

I quickly corralled Jon McNeal from the architectural team and starting quizzing him on the pros and cons of the new building. First off, to make sure everyone is happy, the alligators are indeed going to be inside the front exit as they have since time immemorial. In addition, the planetarium is once again taking a prominent position, but here I have to admit one shortcoming. Although they have been able to keep track of all the original alligators from the old Academy…

Golden Gate Park is experiencing quite the revitalization under Newsom (although most of this is due to work of the Brown mayoral administration).  The Park is key to the continuing vitality of the City as a major tourist destination, a valuable part of our economy.  

More SF news in the extended…
(see the extended)

In other news, the new Octavia street freeway access route opened up:

Sixteen years after the Loma Prieta earthquake tore through the Bay Area, politicians and officials from San Francisco’s past and present joined city residents Friday to celebrate the long-awaited opening of Octavia Boulevard and a new freeway ramp.

The tree-lined boulevard begins at Market Street across from the freeway ramp and ends four blocks away at the Hayes Green, a pleasing stretch of grass and plants complemented by a large wooden sculpture. Meant as an oasis for pedestrians, bicyclists and cars — and with 50 percent of its new housing set as affordable — many speakers at the grand opening expressed hope that the Octavia Boulevard would serve as a blueprint for future projects in San Francisco.

“Let this not be a boulevard of new dreams, but a template to a new way San Francisco builds,” said Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, whose district includes the area.

(cross posted on dkos and the BetterCA blog)

We warned you…

Arnold’s early reelection announcement is designed with just one thing in mind: bolstering support for his failing ballot initiatives.  You don’t need any further proof of his intentions than he’s followed up his announcement yesterday by endorsing the horrid Proposition 75 today.  However, let’s take the time to look back at the Governor’s week long strategy, his attempt to turn around his dreadful numbers – numbers that make the former Mr. Olympia look like the photo featured on this woman’s sign yesterday.  

This has been a well choreographed dance, begging for attention.  It’s a classic media ploy and one that won’t really matter in the end. When the voters discover his arguments just don’t cut the mustard -it’ll all have just been poor gamesmanship.

From Monday to Sunday: Tracking a Media Extravaganza

Arnold’s handlers first task was to figure out the perfect timing for his series of announcements.  Tah-dah, the weekend of the California Republican Convention; press events would build up through the week, carrying attention over from one day to the next.  He would come up with something “newsworthy” every day, and he would try to keep the media engaged from Monday on.  

Monday he declared the start to his official proposition campaign.  They even worked in language that would tie the whole Monday-Saturday Arnold extravaganza together.

The next step was to have his staff to wrangle up some props…eer I mean… supporters and get them inside a night club for the re-election race declaration.  A site with noise insulation would surely deaden the sound of the protestors outside.  

Then they teased the news media all week that there was a “special announcement on Friday”.  Not very special, or a surprise that Arnold is running again, though a glance at his poll numbers gives one pause.  

Ok, status check: we have a quiet closed set, the media has been primed, and language to tie all of the events together.  That brings us to today, and his announcement of something we have known since April: Arnold supports a proposition designed to silence voices of public employees and clear opposition to the Governor’s destructive education, health care and public safety agenda.

The newspapers don’t yet have anything about this announcement, not surprising for a Saturday afternoon, so I went over to the Governor’s site to look at the language he used to justify backing Prop. 75.  For such a carefully coordinated media campaign you would think at least they would come up with a line of reasoning that couldn’t be shredded in one line.

“Public employee union members should not be forced to contribute to causes, candidates and controversial issues they don’t believe in,” stated the Governor.  “That is not a contribution.  That is a tax.

“Maybe they want their money to go for organizing or member services instead.

Mr. Governor, come here and have a seat beside me and I’ll whisper something in your ear.  Oh who am I kidding, I will just shout it out here for all to hear, its not exactly a secret, now is it: All union members, in every state in the union, already have the Supreme Court backed right to not have their union dues go to political activities.  That’s it really, your argument is bunk.  Now run along and see if you can do better, the strategy was effective, but you might want to work on the message.