no more Moishe's

Joe Sattler, owner of Moishe’s Pippic deli here in San Francisco's Hayes Valley, has called it quits.  What a guy!  What a place!  Joe and his ever-faithful sandwich maker Able have been putting smiles on my face for years.  They brought many smiles to my mom too!

 

Saturday was officially the last day but today the sign went up.  I was sworn to secrecy last week when I found out, but I didn't swear to sing the praises of Moishe's Pippic.  How can a couple of guys running a deli, make a difference in this world?  I don't have the answer, but they sure did!

 

They will indeed be missed!

What will YOU do about AIDS?

Raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection, government, health officials, AIDS service organizations, and people around the globe observe every December 1st as World AIDS Day, with speeches, films, candlelight vigils, and forums on the AIDS topics.  Today's is the twenty-fifth such observance.

Long before anyone heard the term AIDS, people were already dying. It was "4 H disease," because the first cases were found among homosexuals, hemophiliacs, Haitians, and heroin users. Later the name was changed to GRID, for Gay related immune deficiency. The epidemic began officially on June 5, 1981, when the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported unusual clusters of Pneumocystis pneumonia caused by a form of Pneumocystis carinii in five homosexual men in Los Angeles.  It didn't have an official name until the summer of 1982, when the CDC began referring to the  disease as Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or AIDS.

 

Over the years, research has been important, but so too has been patient service, education, and erasing the stigma.  Annual events like AIDS Walk and AIDS LifeCycle have been important and so are the many events that take place on World AIDS Day.  Click HERE to get details on today's National AIDS Memorial Grove Observance which begins in Golden Gate Park at 11:30am.  The World AIDS Day Candlelight Vigil & Memorial begins at 5pm at Harvey Milk Plaza which is at Castro & Market Streets in San Francisco.  At 7pm there will be an Interfaith World AIDS Day Service at Saint Mark's Lutheran Church, 1111 O'Farrell Street, San Francisco.  Also at 7pm the Castro Theatre (429 Castro Street) screens "We Were Here,"  an AIDS documentary about the San Francisco response to the epidemic.  This is only a partial list of local events and of course there are things happening all over the world.

AIDS is still with us and the fight must continue!  Awareness is such an important part of that fight, so this World AIDS Day, do something and help spread the word.  We can all do something to help in the fight! What will YOU do?

It's not about the food, it's about the thanks

Thanksgiving Day became an official Federal holiday in 1863, when, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of "Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens." Families and friends get together and share meals, watch parades and football on tv, begin their holiday shopping, and enjoy each other's company.  As part of all of this, we pause and are grateful for all we have.

 

On Thanksgiving, some attend church services and some says prayers within their family gathering.  The significant thing here though is the thanks.  In addition to giving thanks to God, it is certainly wonderful to so our appreciation to each other and to all who have been a blessing in our lives.  Giving thanks can take many forms, but it is the key here.  It's not about the turkey, the pumpkin pie, or the Harold Square parade in New York.  All those other things are just added pieces of the celebration.

 

Today, regardless of what you do or where you do it, and whether you eat a huge feast of a simple supper, take a moment to think about all you are grateful for.  Give thanks to God by whatever name you call him, and be thankful for your friends and your family and all those who make a difference in your life.  Today is about thanks-giving!

Thirty five years later

San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk, who were shot and killed in San Francisco City Hall by former Supervisor Dan White on this date thirty-five years ago. White was angry that the Mayor had refused to re-appoint him to his seat on the Board of Supervisors, from which White had just resigned, and that Milk had lobbied heavily against his re-appointment. San Francisco was already reeling from the mass suicides and murders in Johnstown just days before.

 

Moscone's name is not as well known today as Milk's, even though both have buildings named for them.  Harvey Milk has become much better known in death, than he was in life.  Like with John F Kennedy, whom we wrote about here a few days ago, there have been a lot of "what if he had lived?" questions asked.  Certainly nobody knows for sure, but there have been a lot of changes since.  Some might argue that there has not been a mayor as progressive as George Moscone.  There have been other gay Supervisors though, and not just representing the heavily gay Castro district.

 

It is certain that both Moscone and Milk made a difference in this world.  They started some things that have continued following their deaths.  One huge tribute to them is that there have been regularly remembrances of that dark day when they were murdered.  There will be one such remembrance tonight which will include a candlelight vigil.  Tonight's event like most over the years, has been organized.  On the night of the assassinations though it was an impromptu candlelight march started in the Castro and leading to the City Hall steps that was so terribly moving. Tens of thousands of people took part that night with Joan Baez leading "Amazing Grace" along them way.

 

Thirty-five years later we remember these two men.  How fitting too that this date fall on the eve of a day set aside to give thanks.

The Philippines still needs help!

In the wake of Super Typhoon Haiyan’s horrible devastation, 2.5 million people in the Philippines are in need of emergency assistance as they begin the process of rebuilding.  People all over the world have been very generous, but so much is needed.  This week as we prepare to give thanks here in the United States, let us also share with those is such great need.

 

As I have said before, the best way to donate is through organizations that are already set up and doing this work.  Setting up something new or donating to someone who just set up something takes many and wastes it.  It really needs to get to where it will do the most good.  Go to http://www.redcross.org.ph/donate - the website for The Philippine Red Cross.

The men, women and children in the Philippines are now homeless and who have no clean water or food in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan really need a hand. I think the most direct help can come through the Red Cross, but there are other good organizations set up already that are doing good work. UNICEF is another good way to give.  Click HERE to donate to their efforts.

Sponsoring Jason makes a great holiday gift

A couple of months ago I told you about Jason Villalobos (that's him on the billboard) and how he has signed up again for AIDS LifeCycle and set his most ambitious fundraising goal ever. I've donated.  Many of you might have also given by now.  What a great holiday gift it would be though to sponsor Jason!

 

I've written here about Jason and his activism on a number of occasions - not just about LifeCycle, although I am particularly pleased to see him doing this again and again.  You see, Jason doesn't just participate, he has actually credited the Ride with giving him a new relationship to AIDS and to himself.

 

Jason used to live right above where this picture was taken and he was a fixture at rallies and gatherings there in the Castro.  You would see his face on posters like this and read his words in print and watch him speak at forums and on television.  Even though he has moved away to a small town, his contributions haven't become small.  Jason was just named one of this year’s POZ 100, a group of HIV-positive people who are unsung heroes in the fight against AIDS.

 

Click HERE if you can help by sponsoring Jason for any amount - all donations help!  He's riding again to raise awareness, funds, and to do his part to eliminate the stigma surrounding the disease. Won't you do your part too?

The toughest job you'll ever love

 

With so many remembrances of John Kennedy's Presidency these days, it is certainly a good time to talk about The Peace Corps because it was Kennedy who, by Executive Order on March 1, 1961, created the government-run agency.  (I was, I should note, talked about before Kennedy, but it was he who actually made it happen and then Congress authorized it on September 21, 1961, with passage of the Peace Corps Act).  In its 52 years, over 210,000 Americans have joined the Peace Corps and served in 139 countries.

 

The Slogan “The toughest job you will ever love” says volumes. President Jimmy Carter's mother Lillian served as a nurse Carter says she had "one of the most glorious experiences of her life" in the Peace Corps.  Political commentator Chris Matthews, This Old House host Bob Vila, author Paul Theroux, and film director Taylor Hackford also served.  The experience of a lifetime they all say.

The work they do all over the world continues and the need is always there.  There are three different types of volunteers and you can find out more on their website at http://www.peacecorps.gov/ - note that all volunteers must be US citizens and at least 18 year old.

Want to know more?  The website I mentioned is a very good source.  You can also subscribe to their newsfeed HERE.  Oh and age does not have to me a factor.  Mrs Carter applied when she was 68 years old!