Monday Movies: Cell Tower Fix 5: Removal


Monday Movies: 20 seconds (more or less) of video from the world around me.

This week: Twenty-five seconds of a crew removing a cell phone antenna from its tower and wrestling it into their man lift for repairs.  Enjoy.




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Babelfishing Poetry: "Put A Buzz, Kebabs"


Hello! Are you looking forward to the weekend? Me too. The days have begun getting noticeably shorter; while still warm, the late summer heat is tempered by the faintest of autumn's touch; a few of the Chinese pistache trees in town are starting to show traces of red in their foliage; all harbingers that my favorite time of year is near! Let's celebrate that with some Babelfishing poetry, where I take song lyrics, run them through an on-line translator such as (but not necessarily) Babelfish, have some fun with the punctuation a bit, and wind up with a quirky kind of poem.

XTC's "Sacrificial Bonfire," a very autumnal-feeling song for me, is this week's feature (listen to song here).  Enjoy. 


Put A Buzz, Kebabs

Fire conditions.
The conscience of the evil dead.
Safety products.
Come and smile, gas hood.

The blood flow and the fray.
Put a buzz, Kebabs.
Fat people are the power animals.

There were changes.
The conscience of the victims into the fire and burn.
Chronic inflammation.
Come on, old man.

Folding top; accept it.
Heaven and Earth silhouette.
Prayer smoke reduction.
Sharp sparks seem to be running.

Primary vacuum would reduce a beggar.
Their pleasure and a small percentage in vacuum.
The monkey man said:

There were changes.
MOSS should be excluded from the hunt.
Good governance.
The good, the bad, and the evil system face removal and disposal.


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Monday Movies: Cell Tower Fix 4: Unbolting


Monday Movies: 20 seconds (more or less) of video from the world around me.

This week: Thirty-six seconds of unbolting an antenna from a cell tower for repairs.  Enjoy.




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Babelfishing Poetry: "As Japanese Neighbours"


Hello, how are you?  How was your week?  I have not had a good week.  I hope yours was much better than mine.  So let's move on to more Babelfishing poetry, where I take song lyrics, run them through an on-line translator such as (but not necessarily) Babelfish, goof around with the punctuation a bit, and wind up with a quirky kind of poem.

English alt-rock band Ned's Atomic Dustbin brings us this week's feature, "Happy" (watch video here).  Enjoy. 


As Japanese Neighbours

Sometimes I can't believe it.
The heart of Klingon
was unreasonable then.

Vehicle gastronomy.
Come on; come with me.
The assistant dreaming your hand.
Come; follow Herbalife.

As Japanese neighbours,
you can hear it.
But that doesn't happen.
Let's say it's a word.

Say;
you will hear.

What is home?
It's poetry,
my itinerary,
your forehead.

Ditch-dori!


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Mission Bay


On Sunday, after doing an errand in San Francisco, D. and I took a little stroll along the waterfront in the Mission Bay neighborhood prior to returning home, and here are some of the pics I took.


A view of the Bay by Pier 54.





Three dog fence.





Container ship Halifax Express heads for the Port of Oakland.





Up, up and away.





At the just-now-opened Chase Center, we view the sculpture installation “Seeing Spheres” by Danish artist Olafur Eliasson.





There are five 15-foot polished steel orbs, arranged in a circle and each with a mirrored front.





Each orb weighs 2 tons.





Sun glare on orb and arena.





The stairs at the arena's east entrance.





Around the corner at the City and County Public Safety Building, we find a gigantic bell in the First Responder Plaza by Bay Area artist Paul Kos.  The 21,000-pound cast bronze bell is rung three times daily at noon.





The flag flies at the SFPD Southern Station.




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Monday Movies: Cell Tower Fix 3: Chat


Monday Movies: 20 seconds (more or less) of video from the world around me.

This week: Twenty seconds of a repair crew chatting (one of whom on his cell phone) while preparing to fix a cell tower antenna.  Enjoy.




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Babelfishing Poetry: "You're In The Flowers"


Hello all!  So nice to see you. Come in and have a look around -- the kettle is on, make yourself a cup of tea or coffee and make yourself comfortable. You are just in time for more Babelfishing poetry, where I take song lyrics, run them through an on-line translator such as (but not necessarily) Babelfish, get silly with the punctuation a bit, and wind up with a quirky kind of poem.

This week's feature is singer-songwriter Ron Pope's "A Drop In The Ocean" (watch video and read lyrics [click Show More] here). Enjoy. 


You're In The Flowers

I am the end of my imagination.
If you're like me,
how many hours do you recommend?
So we have to go now.
When it comes to the east,
hot heat.
Look late;
it also helps.

I trust a lot of my old friends.
I regret that I am sorry.
God is the only God.
New England noun changes.
You will be asked for the ultimate goal.
I have a child, Mr. Boyfriend.

I can't stand
Torqodx every night.
Don't let this happen.

Sharp doesn't seem to nibble on the blind man like other women's eaves in the summer.
Catato is not far.

Only the sea otter,
the last day of the change.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR YOU, and I can't say
I think the rain falls in the desert.
But the speech for you
belonged to the Paradise.
You're in the flowers.


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Monday Movies: Cell Tower Fix 2: Positioning


Monday Movies: 20 seconds (more or less) of video from the world around me.

This week: Twenty-one seconds of a repair crew in a man lift maneuvering through tree branches and positioning themselves close to a cell tower to begin fixing an antenna.  Enjoy.




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Babelfishing Poetry: "I'll Pray And Invite The Germans"


Hello all!  Thank you for dropping by again, it's so nice to see you! I hope, wherever you are, you're cool and comfortable on this late summer day (or you're safe and warm on this late winter day, if you're in the Southern Hemisphere).  It is now time for more Babelfishing poetry, where I take song lyrics, run them through an on-line translator such as (but not necessarily) Babelfish, futz with the punctuation a bit, and wind up with a quirky kind of poem.

This week we Babelfish folk-rockers The Lumineers' "Gloria" (watch video here, which depicts possibly disturbing scenes of alcoholism).  Enjoy. 


I'll Pray And Invite The Germans

Love.
Sulfur.

Love.
Alcohol and mint.

Love.
Nobody says enough.

Love.
They are living in the world.

Love.
I have a gesture.

Love.
Can I see enough?

God's privacy, the Paths of Heaven.
Two feet.
I'll pray and invite the Germans.

I call out and you're going to be there.
Two feet.
I'm going to go back to this place.

Joe.
He's a slug.
I'm sorry.
There are many ways to kill.
I'm singing.
My feet?


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Monday Movies: Cell Tower Fix 1: Approach


Monday Movies: 20 seconds (more or less) of video from the world around me.

This week: Twenty seconds of a crew in a man lift approaching a cell tower to begin an antenna repair.  Enjoy.




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Babelfishing Poetry: "My Salmon And I"


I hope you've all been fine and well? No upsets? No disasters? No tornadoes, floods, unexpected sinkholes, avalanches, mudslides, blizzards, hailstorms, lightning strikes, hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires, tsunamis, volcanoes, sandstorms, alien abductions, toxic spills, transit strikes, computer crashes, polar vorticies, landslides?  I hope not, I really do.  Because that would be awful, it really would.  So assuming we're good to go, let's move on to some Babelfishing poetry, where I take song lyrics, run them through an on-line translator such as (but not necessarily) Babelfish, experiment with the punctuation a bit, and wind up with a quirky kind of poem.

This week we run the traditional Scottish ballad "Annie Laurie" through the Babelfishing process (listen to an utterly beautiful version recorded by Deanna Durbin, when she was only 14 years old, here, or listen to this powerfully moving version sung by the former Soviet Red Army Choir with solos by lyric tenor Evgeny Belyaev here, or listen to this piano arrangement by Erling Jan Sørensen here).  Enjoy.


My Salmon And I

Mark Thornton Bonnie Place
starts at the beginning
with Lorrir to Lorrir.
I promise,
you must be forgotten.
Bonnie Annie Raleigh,
scream and die.

Cough obtained because of snow.
Funeral.
His face is drifty beautiful.
The sun does not shine.
Extraordinary eyebrows.
Bonnie Ann Laurier,
my sister and I.

Ansou Guan,
do you know the myth?
Days depending on the heat of summer and the beginning.
You can't have a voice
all over the world.
Kunisuke Anhui Puli,
my salmon and I.


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Monday Movies: N-Judah Inbound


Monday Movies: 20 seconds (more or less) of video from the world around me.

This week: Twenty-seven seconds of the N-Judah light rail emerging from the Sunset Tunnel and stopping at Duboce Park in San Francisco on its way downtown last month.  Enjoy.




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Babelfishing Poetry: "He Is Always Acting Like A Blind Girl"


Hello!  And how are you today?  Bright and breezy?  Cheeky and cheerful?  Chipper?  Top-notch?  Super-duper?  Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed?  Full of sunshine?  Rarin' to go?  Full of ginger?  Ready to face the day?  Hunky-dory?  In the swim? Peachy-keen?  On the ball?  Up to snuff? A-OK? Copacetic? Right on? Cooking with gas?  Spiffy?  Okey-dokey?  First-class?  Capital? All of those put together?  None of the above?  No matter, because, regardless, it's time for some more Babelfishing poetry, where I take song lyrics, run them through an on-line translator such as (but not necessarily) Babelfish, convolute the punctuation a bit, and wind up with a quirky kind of poem.

This week's song, chosen at random, is Bobby Fuller Four's "I Fought The Law" (watch video here).  Enjoy. 


He Is Always Acting Like A Blind Girl

I will dream of the stone ruins.
His brother, Mr. Law,
legal seed to his brother.

You must leave the money for it.
His brother, Mr. Law,
Mr. Law to give his brother.

I, 6-gun blunderbuss.
His brother, Mr. Law,
legal seed to his brother.

Interesting; lost the baby.
His brother, the law of the questionnaire.
Mr. Law to give his brother.

Without restrictions, and children clothing outlet,
he believed that it worked.
He is always acting like a blind girl.
Legal seed to his brother,
Mr Law to give his brother.


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Salesforce Park


On Sunday, after doing an errand in San Francisco, D. and I visited the newly-re-opened Salesforce Park in the newly-re-opened Salesforce Transit Center (yes, there's been a lot of re-opening there lately).  Here are some of the pics I took.


A look at an eye-catching skyscraper a few blocks from the park.





Reflections in the glassy façades of the buildings downtown give a surreal, under-water effect.





The rotunda inside the transit center.





A peek at 181 Fremont, a nearby skyscraper that is the tallest residential tower west of the Mississippi River.





More glassy reflections viewed from the park.





A closer look at the reflection reveals a primitive form of inter-office communication via Post-It note.





One of the thousands of flowers in bloom in the park.





A view of some of the other nearby buildings on the southeast side of the park.





A pathway in the park.





Colorful chairs are located at intervals all along the path.





181 Fremont St has a very aggressive presence even among the other skyscrapers downtown.





The three-bedroom, 3,326-square-foot full-floor penthouse sold for a record-breaking $15 million last year; original asking price was $42 million (the bottom 36 floors are leased by Facebook).





Back down at street level, we see gritty street art by urban artist Nychos.





Welcome to where you are! (Which in this case is Natoma St.)




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