12 Responses:

1. ryanlrussell says:

   12 years ago at 8:15 pm

   The awkward pauses and dead-inside facial expression work very well with the subject matter in this case.

2. Aidan says:

   12 years ago at 9:10 pm

   There is this strange tension between them, like they are either about to rip off their clothes or just go full matrix-style combat. I think she would be justified in ripping his head off.

3. violentbloom says:

   12 years ago at 11:30 pm

   So basically, the city of San Francisco is encouraging people to not be eco-friendly.
   Also is this supposed to discourage people from bothering them for applications?

   • Sean B says:

     12 years ago at 11:48 pm

     "Starr said he wanted to use a mock conversation between a planner and someone trying to open a cafe to illustrate how frustrating the permitting process is. A bill to reform the process will be considered in August."

     From the article linked at the top.

4. Scott says:

   12 years ago at 12:25 am

   If you'll just step over here into room 101, we have your rat-cage helmet ready and you will tell us who told you it would be a good idea to open a restaurant.

5. Jeff says:

   12 years ago at 4:06 am

   I wonder at the origins of this bullshit. Specifically, what percentage of these little twists and turns is due to...

   1. Protecting people from themselves. "If people are going to serve themselves, that food cannot be hotter than X degrees and must be wrapped if hotter than Y degrees."

   2. The definition game the state plays whenever they wish to create a new tax or fee. "Whereas SELF-SERVICE is defined as...A SMALL DINING AREA shall be no larger than..."

   3. Flat-out corruption. "My college roommate is the CEO of a tile manufacturer. Let's enact some restrictions on the type of flooring that must be present at the counter so his stock goes up."

   4. NIMBY. "We don't want any fast food restaurants on our block, but we do want Starbucks and burritos."

   I'm guessing #2 is the source of most of the bullshit, with healthy dashes of the others for added shit flavor.

   So, are the aforementioned "reforms" being pushed for really reforms, or just the typical saber-rattling "This time for sure!" crap?

   • pavel_lishin says:

     12 years ago at 11:11 am

     "Never attribute to malice what can be explained by incompetence." I bet that the spaghetti of regulations comes from lawmakers not being intimately familiar with previous regulations.

     I'm honestly surprised that there isn't some sort of accidental fuck-up on the books that makes restaurants flat out illegal due to some sort of contradiction. (e.g., new licenses in 2011 can only be given to dining facilities that are a) smaller than 400 square feet, and b) larger than 600 square feet.)

     • jwz says:

       12 years ago at 11:18 am

       I can't find the article now, but I read that all food carts are illegal for a reason along those lines -- something like, they have to be less than 3' long, but they also have to include a large 3-pot sink.

     • antabakaYT says:

       12 years ago at 10:30 am

       We have a situation like this in Germany, making all food counters illegal. The worker protection law requires the tiles to be ribbed in order to avoid accidents. However, the food sanitation laws require the tiles to be flat, so they can be cleaned thoroughly.

       So, no matter what type of tiles you use, you are screwed if they want to enforce one of the laws.

       • ChibaCity says:

         12 years ago at 4:02 pm

         Clearly some sort of sex-offender / food cart vendor juridical mashup is in order. Maybe combine familywatchdog.us/ShowMap.asp with the relevant push cart restrictions to find a corner where a perv can hawk wieners to children.

6. aczarnowski says:

   12 years ago at 6:06 am

   Our ancestors shot Englishmen in the face for less than this.
   -- paraphrased

7. Anthony says:

   12 years ago at 8:19 am

   Be glad you're not making yogurt, or other extremely dangerous activities.