Travels of the Fighting Kitten

Moscone Convention Center is well known in San Francisco as the city's main facility for conventions and conferences. Located downtown, South of Market near the Yerba Buena Gardens it's positioned for maximum exposure. However there is another facility in San Francisco, the Cow Palace. Not glamorous in any sense of the word, located in Visitation Valley one of the remaining working class neighborhoods in the city. The Cow Palace is where the Rodeo and Circus comes annually to the City, the space feels like an different era. I went there to see Hot Rods and Low Riders at the San Francisco Rod, Custom and Motorcycle Show

Ok, I don't own a car and my desire to have one is rather low. I'm the type of person who normally doesn't notice one model from another. But as a kid I liked Funny Cars, owned a Demolition Derby Electric Racing Set and always admired low riders and older model cars for their creative design and engineering. Few new cars catch my attention in a positive way but the oldies well that another story.

The show at the Cow Palace had a wide variety of cars, motocycles, trailers/campers and even bikes. My favorites were some of the older campers/trailers many for me were new views, the mini-campers with their super functionality with stoves, refrigerators, and tables were fun.

It was a fun afternoon and who knows everyone needs their toys.................
















One of the many cool cars of the show



Custom bike, cool but maybe not the best choice for
City Crusin
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How is history shaped in our consciousness? Why are so many people who contribute to society forgotten so quickly? I couldn't help but mull over these questions while watching the documentary Negroes with Guns at the San Francisco Main Library.

Negroes with Guns is about Robert Williams who organized his community to defend itself against the KKK in Monroe, North Carolina and how his struggle for freedom took him around the world from Cuba to China while in exile on escaping false kidnapping charges. Williams was not an advocate of non violence but of self defense against racist violent behavior. This made him controversal and dangerous.

As an activist,Williams worked as a community leader, started the newspaper The Crusader after being suspended by the NAACP for speaking out for self defense. He and his wife Mabel also created and produced Radio Free Dixie while in Cuba, a black power radio program. I'm amazed how I knew nothing about this man growing up or his communities struggles in North Carolina. The first time I heared about him was either 2004 or 2005 when KPOO , my favorite radio station, was playing an excerpt from the Freedom Archives audio documentary on his life. I recommend the audio documentary it's very educational and Mabel Williams tells their life through interviews.


The film was a community screening event, part of ITVS community outreach program which screens independent filmmakers films. The program was successful with a good turn-out. My only complaint is the panel at the end of the program did not include the filmmakers, I felt they were sorely missed.

Negroes with Guns, will be shown February 7th 2006 in the San Francisco Bay Area at 11:00 PM. Check on the Independent Lens website to see when the film is showing in your city.
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Hi folks I'm finally starting to feel normal, I'm not 100 percent but this evening I was able to keep my sinus headaches at bay and the pink eye seems 98% gone they only feel a little dry-ish. Fatigue is still the queen but I'm planning to go out this weekend socialize and exercise the body and test it out a little.

I haven't gone out much this year so I'm posting a few pictures from the end of 2005. Places I visited but were previously too burnt out to post.

Walking in downtown San Francisco I couldn't resist photographing MOAD, the Museum of the African Disapora.

Talking about walking, this is the Moraga Stairs located in Golden Gates Heights a neighborhood in the Sunset District. Located south of Golden Gates Park you can transverse Golden Gates Heights by its' stairways. I found this walk in Stairway Walks in San Francisco, a books that provides stairways walks throughout the City. I recommend it for those who want to explore San Francisco neighborhoods.

At the opening weekend of the De Young Museum the lines were long but somehow we gained quick access. The Olmec sculpture, one of many fascinating items on exhibit.

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