SIX YEAR ITCH by Jon Hammond from Jon Hammond on Vimeo.
Jon Hammond Journal July 22, 2012 Report San Francisco Skyline at dusk as seen from San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge - Jon Hammond http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_francisco_skyline The U.S. city of San Francisco, California, is the site of over 410 high-rises, 44 of which stand taller than 400 feet (122 m). The tallest building in the city is the Transamerica Pyramid, which rises 853 ft (260 m) and is currently the 31st-tallest building in the United States. Another famous San Francisco skyscraper is 555 California Street, which is the city's second tallest building. It is also known as Bank of America Center. Many of San Francisco's tallest buildings, particularly its office skyscrapers, were completed in a massive building boom that occurred from the late 1960s until the late 1980s. This boom was dubbed a "Manhattanization wave" by residents of the city, and led to local legislation passed that set in some of the strictest building height limit requirements in the country. This led to a slowdown of skyscraper construction during the 1990s, but construction of taller buildings has resumed recently as the building height requirements have been relaxed and overlooked in light of recent economic activity. The city is currently going through a second boom, with 34 buildings over 400 feet (122 m) proposed, approved, or under construction in the city. San Francisco boasts 21 skyscrapers that rise at least 492 feet (150 m) in height. Overall, San Francisco's skyline is ranked (based upon existing and under construction buildings over 492 feet (150 m) tall) second in the Pacific coast region (after Los Angeles) and seventh in the United States, after New York City, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles, Houston, and Dallas.[A] Due to a housing shortage and the subsequent real estate boom, the city's strict building height code has been relaxed over the years, and there have been many skyscrapers proposed for construction in the city; some, such as the One Rincon Hill South Tower, have already been completed. Several other taller buildings are proposed in connection with the Transbay Terminal redevelopment project. The San Francisco Transbay development consists of 10 skyscrapers set to rise over 400 feet (122 m) tall, with three of the towers scheduled to rise over 1,000 feet (305 m). If constructed, these towers would be the first buildings in San Francisco to qualify as supertalls, and would be among the tallest in the United States. Many other tall proposals have been submitted as well, including the Sun Tower, which is planned to rise on Treasure Island — at Skyline San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge -- Slow down 35 MPH for the curve people! Not 50 or 60 like lots are doing - Jon Hammond Dead Man's Curve http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Ideas-offered-to-slow-S-curve-motorists-3211750.php Getting drivers to slow down for the Bay Bridge S-curve might seem like an unusual challenge, but some states have been dealing with troublesome curves on interstate highways for decades, using everything from speed cameras and flashing lights to grooved pavement and unusual lane markings to get drivers to slow down and pay attention. Some of these tactics will be used on the S-curve after a series of accidents, including a fatality Monday morning, sparked a public outcry for safety improvements at the temporary detour on the Bay Bridge. At least 43 accidents - or an average of five per week - have occurred on the curve since the detour opened to traffic Sept. 8. "People just don't want to slow down," said Russ Rader, a spokesman for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which researches traffic safety. "The question is: How do you make them?" Many cities have dangerous curves on highways that have earned infamy and nicknames because of the large number of accidents. In Cleveland, the 90-degree curve on Interstate 90 nearing downtown is called "Deadman's Curve." Opened in 1959, the curve quickly became a problem. Like the Bay Bridge, the speed limits on either side of the curve are 50 mph - which drivers usually exceed, said Jocelynn Clemings, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Transportation. The sharp turn requires drivers to slow to 35 mph. To get drivers to reduce their speeds, the department has, over the years, put in "a lot of flashing signage" along with grooved pavement that makes a loud vibrating sound when drivers pass over it, and extra arrows, or chevrons, on the pavement. While drivers are more aware, she said, "There are quite often accidents of varying severity," and the Department of Transportation plans to "flatten" the curve sometime in the next decade, she said. Kansas City has two troublesome curves that it has tamed with speed sensors and flashing lights that warn drivers on Interstate 70 to slow down. Trucks frequently overturned at the Jackson and Benton curves, prompting the Missouri Department of Transportation to install a special warning system about 20 years ago. The system uses a sensor planted in each lane to read the speed of vehicles approaching the curves. If they're speeding, flashing lights over their lane activate and a sign blares: "Driving too fast when lights flashing." "We've had a pretty noticeable reduction in accidents," said Jesse Skinner, an interstate corridor engineer with the Missouri Department of Transportation. Elsewhere, the department also has used radar signs - one for each lane of traffic - that read and display drivers' speeds next to signs showing the speed limit. "People drive what (speed) they feel comfortable driving," Skinner said. "If you want them to slow down, you have to get their attention." Caltrans also employed flashing lights and prominent signs to do just that at "the Fishhook," the sharply curved intersection of highways 1 and 17 in Santa Cruz, and the curve was widened recently to make it easier to navigate. Colin Jones, a Caltrans spokesman, said the devices improved safety at the interchange but noted that drivers changing highways are more likely to slow down than those driving across a bridge and entering a curve. Anne McCartt, vice president of research at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, said the key to slowing drivers is enforcement of speed laws. Speed cameras, which use radar to measure speed and then automatically issue a ticket, can be especially effective in an area like the S-curve, or where it could be difficult for police to pull over speeders. "The advantage of automated enforcement is that it can happen anytime of the day or night, wherever it is needed," she said. McCartt also recommended stricter enforcement of speeds on the entire bridge, saying that it is unrealistic to expect drivers to slow from speeds in excess of 50 mph to 35 mph for the curve. Caltrans officials already have installed extra signs and flashing lights, and plan more safety improvements to slow motorists, including reflective striping near the top of the bridge's barrier walls, a large overhead sign warning of the curve and of the reduced speed on the upper deck of the bridge, and radar boards flashing drivers' speeds. Caltrans spokesman Bart Ney said the agency also is considering installing grooved pavement or rows of pavement markers to warn drivers they are approaching the curve. Sorry William, you missed the McIntosh model 225, better luck next time! - Jon Hammond MC225 - *Random Reviews: "Bottom Line: The 225 matches excelently to My Klipsch Belle's and My Klipschorns. The 104 db/watt efficiency of these systems is a must for an amplifier of this size. 118 db peak passages are possible without clipping - a must for any realistic reproduction of music. Try to get 118 db peaks from any of the low efficiency speakers ( less than 100 db/watt ) and you end up with an impossible situation. The 225's have fixed bias, this should be critically set as I have found that amplifier signatures change with as little as 5ma. differences. The Sovetek 7591A's (not XYZ) are better sounding tubes than the NOS stuff being sold." "Over many years of experimenting with many products -solid state vs tubes I much prefer the tube sound. I recently purchased a 30 year old MAC 225 Amp and was amazed at the quality of the sound.My then current Cary SLA70 did not compare. I was hearing things I had never heard before on some favorite CD's with the MAC 225.Can I realistically improve the sound of my system by moving up to a MAC 240 or 275? Replies are appreciated. Also to maintain the MAC 225 sound signature should I continue with my Audible Illusions MOD 3 Pre amp(Tube) or move to a Mac 33 pre amp (Solid State). Any comments,suggestions or recommendations are appreciated." "I have been using MC-225 for more than 5 years and that is the part I think I will use it for my whole life (I guess my next generation can still use them by replacing some parts). It gave you great and smooth sound especially in the mid to high range. Very impressive for playing songs by female singer. Don't think that 25 watts is small, it can still gives you very solid bass and sound stage. Currently I have two sets of MC-225 to drive ProAC Tabelette 50 Sig. Other components include:" Radio Day By The Bay -- Jon Hammond with Celeste Perry Radio/TV Personality and another lady of Radio/TV - annual Fund Raiser for California Historical Radio Society at KRE Radio in Berkeley California Radio Day By The Bay -- Cheryl Jennings and Stan Bunger annual Fund Raiser for California Historical Radio Society at KRE Radio in Berkeley California - Jon Hammond Radio Day By The Bay -- He's got 'The Fever'...Radio Fever! Jon Hammond Radio Day By The Bay -- A lucky buyer got this beautiful classic radio for only 50 bucks at the annual Fund Raiser for California Historical Radio Society at KRE Radio in Berkeley California - Jon Hammond Jon Hammond's new little SONY TFM-6060W 2 Band Radio will be going on a trip around the world - Travel Radio just got acquired by a traveler! - Radio Day By The Bay - KRE Radio Berkeley California annual fundraiser for California Historical Radio Society Classic Motorola AM Radio in Turquoise Blue- this one went for big bucks at the Auction at annual fundraiser for California Historical Radio Society - RADIO KRE Berkeley - Jon Hammond Cheryl Jennings of KGO-TV conducting Oral History Interviews in control room of KRE Radio -- at Radio Day By The Bay annual fundraiser for California Historical Radio Society - Jon Hammond NAMM Oral History Session Jon Hammond recorded January 13th 2011 Anaheim CA