Reply With Quote^So what.
The Bay Area is arguably one of the most beautiful urbanized parts of the U.S. It is blessed with natural scenery of such magnitude, that one could be hard pressed to find more than a handful of comparable urban centers. Further, the metropolitan area contains several large cities such as San Jose, San Francisco, and Oakland. Those cities alone are comprised of slightly over 2 million total inhabitants, according to the 2004 census estimate (2,046,728 to be exact). In a recently closed thread, a forum member noted: “San Jose is the 10th largest city in America, with much more "gravity of influence" than Fort Worth.” Accordingly, San Jose is just slightly larger than the 9th largest city in the U.S: The city of Dallas.
^So what.
Thanks for asking. I guess one thing that comes to mind, is, when someone from San Jose is asked by an outsider, “where you from boy?”, does he answer “San Francisco” Or, does he answer “San Jose”. I would guess the latter.Originally Posted by St-T
MMMMMMMMM-kay.
As JR would say, "I suppose there is a point to all this?"
DAGNABBIT!
No. No there's not.
I was in San Jose recently for work. I can't say I was impressed, pollution was horrible. If you have a view of the brown mountains you certainly can't see them.
Why didn't you title the thread "San Jose and Bay Area"?
Can you elaborate on how San Jose, with 944,857 people, is larger than Dallas with about 1,200,000 people? Are you talking about instead about your "gravity of influence" measure, which is something that could be discussed/debated.
Oh, and do you mind if I pull a 2112? Ok, thanks:
Its clear you calling it "San Francisco and Bay Area" is, and I quote, "a form dismissal via diminution." Its part of your "selective imaginary annexation."
Great stuff.
Jason
Isn't there a way to ignore a specific users posts? I'm sick of reading 2112's shit.
Yes. You are right. I made an error in my statement of facts. The sentence should instead read:
"Accordingly, San Jose is just slightly SMALLER than the 9th largest city in the U.S: The city of Dallas."
I should probably clarify. Refering to "San Francisco and Bay Area" does not state anything about the relationship between the two. It's "San Francisco" and "Bay Area". It's just like stating: "Dallas and Dallas-Fort Worth". On the other hand, the selelctive imaginary annexation you speak above is a different idea all together. That occurs when one city claims some place or "something" that is in one city, and then makes it part of another city. The example would be to claim that something - like the Kimbell Museum - which is in Fort Worth, is actually in Dallas, when in actuallity, it's in Fort worth. Further, the "selective" component includes those things that are NOT claimed, like NOT saying that the Stockyards are in Dallas. I hardly ever read that the Stockyards are in Dallas. But I have read several times things like: "when you go to Dallas, you should checkout the Kimbell" And so THAT would be one example of what I was describing.
rabble rousing?
Do you know the way to San Jose? I've been away so long.
Kicking off a Bay Area job interview weekend once, I drove a convertible Jaguar across the bridge from Oakland to San Francisco. Even though I had been a tourist to the area several times, I was awe-struck driving across that bridge. The fancy car, the beautifully clear day, the water, the mountains, the city, I guess it all added up to almost heaven. Too bad it's so cold.
Last edited by tamtagon; 10 April 2006 at 09:51 AM.
I'm visiting SF next week. I haven't been in years and I'm really looking forward to it. By sheer coincidence I'm going to be there on the 100th anniversary of the great earthquake and fire. I hear there will be quite a few commemorative events, as there should be.
Anyone have tips on some of the more obscure cool places to visit, or good places to eat in SF?
Consumers are not [the same as] citizens, and when a system pretends that they are, peculiar and even perverse things happen to decision making and democracy... - Benjamin Barber
Take the BART train to the Rockridge station in the East Bay and walk north up College Avenue. It's an interesting neighborhood with a quaint collection of interesting shops.I'm visiting SF next week. I haven't been in years and I'm really looking forward to it. By sheer coincidence I'm going to be there on the 100th anniversary of the great earthquake and fire. I hear there will be quite a few commemorative events, as there should be.
Anyone have tips on some of the more obscure cool places to visit, or good places to eat in SF?
Yeah, that's the way it is. As far as most American people are concerned, the Kimbell is in metro Dallas. If you don't like it, go suck an egg.
There's literally no point to this thread.
By the power of greyskull!
Thanks ace! I figured you might have a good suggestion or two.
And for the record, I was hoping my post might turn this into a discussion of interesting things in SF, instead of ANOTHER arguing thread. :angel:
Actually, I think it would be cool to have a few threads about major cities in the US where forum members who had visited/lived there would post their favorite things about the city.Then if one of us ended up going to one of those cities, he/she could look at thread and find some things to see that maybe you wouldn't know about by looking at other sites. I think the members here have a perspective on cities that most people don't, which is why I at least would be interested.
Consumers are not [the same as] citizens, and when a system pretends that they are, peculiar and even perverse things happen to decision making and democracy... - Benjamin Barber
Good point, Warlock. If we have a series of "guess the city" threads, then we can have a "talk about the city" series as well.
^Now there's a point! I'm going to the Seattle/Olympia area next week for work. I've been there before, but some suggestions in case I've missed anything would be great. I'm going to the Mariners-Rangers game next Wednesday night while I'm there.
By the power of greyskull!
I am moving to San Francisco at the end of this month after 30 years of living in Dallas. Everytime I am there, I am amazed by the beauty of the place and the friendliness of the people.
You made my day with this post. Thanks!
If you like rock music, check out The Experience Music Project.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Experience_Music_Project
It is at the base of the Space Needle, so you could check out both attractions at the same time.
If you are into computers, you may want to check out the Microsoft Company Store in the northern suburbs.
http://www.microsoft.com/visitorcenter/default.mspx
Good luck, and I hope you find what you're looking for. In my case, I found plenty of obnoxious, hostile people and ugly, blighted neighborhoods. Dallas has a much higher standard of living, and better looking neighborhoods, in my opinion, but SF has better scenery and more creativity. Enjoy the difference while it is still fresh and exciting.
You discovered some joy in sucking on eggs, did you?
You are so right. I've never met more friendly people. I like Seattle (my favorite city in the country) more, but San Fran has always been a favorite. After 30 years in Dallas, you'll enjoy the change.
[QUOTE=aceplaceIn my case, I found plenty of obnoxious, hostile people and ugly, blighted neighborhoods[/QUOTE]
You'll never find that in Dallas.
Sure, you'll find that everywhere. The point is... San Francisco is no paradise.
The typical street scene in San Francisco is ... nothing green. No shrubbery, no trees, no evidence of nature at all. Just concrete and stucco... something that depressed me more than I care for.
in Dallas, au contraire, even the ghettoes have rich, floriant, lush greenery... evidence that you are on a plant that supports life.
Dallas is better because it is greener.
I actually agree with Aceplace here. I like greenery mixed in with my urbanity. In that, I think Chicago tops San Francisco if you're talking dense, urban cities. Seattle, too.
Celebrating the urban greatness of Texas: Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Austin, El Paso and Fort Worth.
I will have to second that Aceplace post, also. It seemed that even Manhattan had more greenery than San Francisco, at least all the areas between midtown and downtown. But I have been to NYC more times than SF, so maybe it is just my lack of experience in SF. Eitherway, the Texas cities have more greenery, hands down....with the exception of El Paso, maybe.
Now that I have THAT out of the way, I can now return to the sarcastic innuendoes and the pointless childish displays. :guns:
I love the bay area, but when I was seriously debating moving there for a job back in 2000 and looked at apartments, I noticed two things: (1) a shocking lack of greenery of any kind in the city itself (outside of the big parks) and (2) despite having BART and Muni, if you lived in some of the nicer areas like marina, north beach, the hollow, etc you either drove to work or took the bus. Either way you were stuck in rediculous traffic.
Stranded Muni riders can now battle each other at bus stops
By: Will Reisman 11/22/10 7:41 PM
Reporter
Waiting at a transit stop for a long-overdue Muni bus ranks right up there with a dreadful San Francisco experience such as watching the 49ers getting shut out at home.
While there may be little hope for The City’s football team, the wait for Muni will get a little more bearable, thanks to a promotional campaign launched this week that will give transit riders the chance to play video games at bus shelters.
Billing its new advertising initiative as a “Bus Stop Derby,” tech giant Yahoo has installed digital video screens at 20 bus shelters in San Francisco, mostly in the downtown area. As part of the promotion, transit passengers from 20 specified neighborhoods will get the chance to compete against each other in different video games — and the community that wins the two-month contest will host a block party featuring the rock band OK Go.
To compete, passengers need only to tap the screen and choose one of four games, which range from visual puzzles to sports trivia competitions. Once a rider has selected which neighborhood they want to represent, they can challenge any other waiting passenger to a live competition. Also, for anyone curious about duping the system, Yahoo has set up barriers to prevent any sort of automated competition.
Each time a rider wins a contest, their neighborhood receives 100 points. The neighborhood with the most points by Jan. 28 will be crowned the winner and get to party with OK Go on Feb. 5. Once the victorious community has been decided, the exact details of OK Go’s performance will be finalized.
The Yahoo promotion is made possible by Muni’s advertising agreement with Clear Channel. As part of the pact, Clear Channel must provide the Municipal Transportation Agency, which operates Muni, with a minimum of $8.6 million in advertising revenue this year. In exchange, Clear Channel works with advertisers to bring promotional campaigns to bus shelters owned by the MTA.
“This is the first thing like this in San Francisco, and it’s certainly a new idea,” said Kristen Holland, MTA spokeswoman. “Digital advertising is a big part of advertising right now, and we want to make sure we get the most of this feature. We’re waiting to see how folks respond to this; hopefully they all enjoy it.”
wreisman@sfexaminer.com
^ I saw that when I was out there in December. It's an interesting way to pass time playing against other neighborhoods in the area for points.
What a cool city.
You'd have to be pretty pathetic to have the psychological need to cheat at the Muni game. Yahoo ought to let them cheat as long as they leave a valid fingerprint. Then the rubber suited cops from "Brazil" take them away in the middle of the night.
The real-time parking data can also be viewed by going to the SF Park website directly.
One can click the car icon to see the availability per block and in garages.
One can also click the $ icon to see price per block since pricing will be adjusted monthly based on average availability in the area during the period.
Real-Time Parking Data Now Available Through SFPark App
While it's only available in pilot neighborhoods equipped with the new smart parking meters and sensors at the moment, SFPark started pushing out real-time parking availability data today.
A brief look at the Google map mashup the SFMTA put together on SFPark.org shows that now would be a terrible time to look for parking in the Financial District, but if you're headed out to the Mission for lunch, there should be plenty of spaces for you bus-averse, petrol sippers to park your vehicles along Valencia.
Ed Lee and other city officials reportedly debuted the corresponding iPhone app [iTunes link ] this morning at City Hall, so vehicle owners with iPhones will want to snag that before circling the block in Hayes Valley a third time.
Better yet, have the guy riding shotgun handle that. You're distracted as it is. [KRON4]
Contact the author of this article or email tips@sfist.com with further questions, comments or tips.
By Andrew Dalton in News on April 21, 2011 12:20 PM
From SFGate: PriceWaterhouseCoopers: S.F. an opportunity leader
Andrew S. Ross
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
San Francisco, "city of opportunity."
Actually, it's the third-most opportunity-rich city in the world, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers, the global accountancy and business consulting firm.
"The city plays a major role in one of the most innovative economies in the U.S. It also is at the leading edge of U.S. cities enacting social policies that affect business, which adds interest to its performance," says the firm's "Cities of Opportunity 2011" report released this week.
Analyzing data from 26 world cities - "all capitals of finance, commerce and culture" - San Francisco ranks just behind New York and Toronto, and ahead of London, Paris, Singapore, Hong Kong and Chicago, among others in the top 10, according to the report.
Among the winning attributes of our 46.7-square-mile land mass: "extraordinary livability," "excels in transportation and infrastructure," "safety and security," "indisputable cultural vibrancy" and "very competitive in terms of cost."
To which one is prompted to inquire, "Really?"
"That's the same question we asked when the data first came in," said the report's chief researcher, Merrill Pond, a vice president at the Partnership for New York City, a business-oriented public policy group, which co-sponsored the study. "But we found that even without the greater San Francisco region, the city is doing very well by itself.
"Though, whether San Francisco drives the region, or it's the other way around, or a combination of both, is a good question," she said.
Criteria of success: The annual study, the fourth of its kind by PwC, is aimed at "understanding what makes urban dynamics work, and communicating what we learn to government officials, policymakers, businesspeople, scholars and citizens mutually invested in the success of their city or cities."
The rankings were based on data compiled from 400-plus sources, including census figures, the World Bank, public agencies and other research and consulting organizations. The 10 "indicators" include intellectual capital and innovation, technology readiness, transportation and infrastructure, health and safety, sustainability and ease of doing business.
Jim Henry, managing partner in the San Francisco office of PwC, said, he, too, "had the same initial surprise" to see the city ranked so high in the report.
"As I got to learn the criteria used, it made more sense," said Henry, who did not work on the report. "San Francisco, with its own vibrant economy, intellectual capital and great livability, is part of a key regional center of the world. I think the ranking is more a recognition of San Francisco in a global context than a national context."
Although the report ranked the city among the highest in some business categories, such as ease of hiring and firing, "when I think of San Francisco as a business-friendly place, well it does have some gaps," Henry said. "We do have work to do in terms of ease of doing business here."
Still, while we may not have it all, we apparently have enough of what it takes, says the report, "for a world that is growing more dependent on attracting and nurturing good people to innovate and build the future with fresh eyes" (sfg.ly/k3QJZ6).
And, the award for the United States' best vacation spot goes to: ... San Francisco.
That's according to U.S. News' latest USA Destination Rankings, which also chose San Francisco as the "best summer destination." (Really? Brr!) Yosemite, by the way, is apparently "the best affordable."
"With a reputation as one of the world's bohemian capitals, San Francisco is a city of unabashed open-mindedness and fierce uniqueness," according to U.S. News.
Worldwide, San Francisco ranks No. 4, behind Paris, Barcelona and London (travel.usnews.com).
Digging in: Thursday looks to be an important day for the San Francisco Metreon, we hear.
That's when ground is scheduled to be broken for the city's first Target store, with Mayor Ed Lee and other notables in attendance.
As we reported in November, the aptly named City Target, at 85,000 square feet, will take up the Metreon's entire second floor and command premium signage at the downtown shopping complex.
Word from Target is that the new store should be open for business in fall 2012. It's also to be the centerpiece of a revitalized Metreon, with other new shops and restaurants.
"It's an opportunity to transform an underperforming asset into a successful shopping destination ... and generate significant economic activity as a result," according to the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency, which green-lighted the project in November.
We look forward to learning more Thursday.
Blogging: www.sfgate.com/columns/bottomline. Facebook page: sfg.ly/doACKM. Tweeting: @andrewsross. E-mail: bottomline@sfchronicle.com.
This article appeared on page D - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle
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