to tip my hat to phil ginsburg and the entire staff for what they have done to make this happen. thank you very much. [applause] >> thank you, boss. mohammed nuru has been a longtime friend of our department. this is, after all, am public works, o angeles -- public works. mo and his staff have been incredible in building. thank you for prioritizing parks. mohammed nuru. [applause] >> thank you very much. thank you, everyone from ever coming out today. on behalf of the department of public works, and want to thank the recreation and park department for being a great partner with dpw. across the city, we have been able to work and recreation centers like this. chinatown, as you have heard, is one of the most dense neighborhoods in our country. so facilities like this are very, very important for us to provide. most importantly, what do think

the architect and design team that worked very, very closely with the community, all the community groups, to make sure that the center and the correct activities are being designed as part of this project. especially. wong, stanly, michele, and farah. a big hand to them because there were the designers. [applause] i also want to think david, the construction manager of all the dpw staff and all the contractors to came here. on a project like this on the bottom of a slope with the cable cars, there's a lot of activity. as you heard, we were able to deliver the product on time, on budget, but even better, below budget. again, we're working very hard together. lastly, you heard about all the art in the building. i want to point out this particular ceramic over here. orange, ground, and gray. those all locally-made in the

bay area. by using locally-made products, where serbs -- supporting our economy in the bay area. thank you to mayor lee and his leadership in making sure we continue to support local businesses in many of our projects. thank you very much. congratulations. and i know there are many more projects to come. thank you. [applause] >> hollande to do a great shout out to the recreation park department two superintendents -- i want to do a shout out. one is in charge of parks, one recreation. they keep this facility clean, safe, beautiful, and funding. ann and -- anna and bob. they're both here. [applause] last year, the mayor led the effort to rename the chinese recreation center in honor of one of the city's own and a national heroine. betty ann ong was a flight attendant on american airlines flight 11 on september 11, two

thousand one. her quick-thinking and brave actions during the fight -- flight probably saved thousands of additional lives. harry ong, her brother, is here on behalf of ong family and their foundation which is been jitters and heartfelt in raising funds to furnish this new -- which has been so generous and heartfelt and raising funds to furnish this new recreation center. [applause] >> get afternoon, ladies and to win. thank you, phil ginsburg. the family thanks ed lee and the san francisco recreation park in rec commission in naming this new wonderful and beautiful city facility the betty ann ong chinese recreation center. we also thank the people of the city and county of san francisco, the petition-signers, and everyone involved in urging that the center be named after betty. it is a tremendous privilege to the new center that it be named

after betty, and our family does not taken lightly. in so doing, it is an honor and a tribute not only to betty and her legacy, but also for all the other victims and heroes who died on september 11. betty ann ong ann foundation would like to thank everyone for their generosity in supporting our fund-raising effort to fully equip the center. and now i would like to take these last few minutes to thank some very special people. i would like to thank and acknowledgement chiu, elaine, and all the past directors and their ancillary for their tremendous dedication in serving the community of san francisco and to the new director. as our foundation has gone through our grass-roots fund- raising journey these past six months, we found that people are so giving if they believe in

your cause. and in their support of betty's legacy and her heroism, people from everywhere have supported the people -- the betty ann ong foundation to raise funds for the center. we think. ong families -- we thank the ong family association and the other chinese benevolent associations. we think our relatives and friends. we think reverend norman and the ccdc. we grew up in the group. the sacramento community, local and national businesses, my family at walgreen's, the san francisco-chinatown rotary club, and our partners, the san francisco parts alliance. we have received donations from individuals for large amounts and small amounts. and our foundation banks all of

you in appreciation as equals. for those not able to donate money, our foundation thanks you just as much for your heart to's warm wishes and dots. also, i think all the flight crew members who are here today from near and far -- i thank all the flight crew members who were here today. [applause] i salute you. to honor and demoralize your fellow co-worker betty and to help celebrate this reopening, thank you for making our air flight safe, and you are truly first responders. and ask all of you, when you fly, please do not give the group a headache. [laughter] last but not least, i thank all of the members of the betty ann ong recreation council for their dedication in helping to plan this wonderful reopening event. in closing, my family and i

thank all of you, all of you, for being here today and celebrating this reopening event. enjoy this day with the music provided, and may god bless you. thank you. [applause] >> thank you, harry. the san francisco park alliance, formerly san francisco parks trust and neighborhood parks council, is a philanthropic and advocacy organization that supports our department. joining with the ong family foundation, the alliance's has been distorting the gear up fund for equipment in newly renovated centers like this one. the theme here is we are a community. we cannot do it alone. and we're all partners. i want to bring up our partner representing the san francisco parks alliance. >> thank you. the park's alliances deeply honored to have been able to

give and assist the family of betty ann ong in raising the funds that have paid for all of the equipment that is inside the speed of only building. the ping-pong tables, the basketballs, tables, chairs. all of the equipment was paid for through the private philanthropy that we have been able to raise. your tax dollars at work -- how many times do we hear that, and it is a little bit on the cynical side? take a look at this building. your tax dollars, my tax dollars, phil's taxes, the mayor's taxes, our taxes paid for this building. we all should die in. every taxpayer in san francisco chipped in a little bit today for the beautiful new building -- we all should die in. what do you think and this use of our tax dollars -- we all chipped in appeared what you think about our tax dollars at work? [applause] we paid for this building through the 2008 parks bond. if you like this, just wait

until what is coming in november. we have another parked bond measure, the green and safe neighborhood parks bond of 2012 that will be on your ballot this november. it is going to pay for more rec ce% neighborhoods all across the city. new swimming pools, new playgrounds, new trails, touching every neighborhood in san francisco. we're going to put $195 million to work improving our parks system city-wide. it will be the biggest single investment we make in our parks in a generation. vote for the parks bond is november 6. thank you. [applause] >> thank you, matt. and most awesome plug. all right, give yourselves a hand. we're almost done. [applause] a brief acknowledgment before i bring up the man. a brief acknowledgment to my staff who actually a rate inched

today's event. connie, elton, and sarah for your incredible work for organizing this event. thank you. [applause] to do the benediction, to wish us a little bit of love and a little bit of luck, the director of the chinatown community development center, a reverend and some who grew up playing here in chinese rec center, and i have seen him should. reverend norman fong knows what this center means to the committee. reverend fong might also have the most reverent -- or rather devaney reverend a rabbi no. he is here to bless our new facility, but later today, he and his band, just jammin, will be performing here life for all of you. reverend fong. [cheers and applause] >> ok, everybody, everybody -- everybody, pay attention. i am not blessing this place to

you, all of us are blessing this place. mayor lee. all of us. ong family. when i say everybody, then you say three words -- bless this center. let's try that. bless this center. here we go. maybe the spirit of peace and harmony -- everybody -- [all] bless this center. made the spirit of the joy and happiness, everybody -- [all] + this center. made the struggle of learning and teamwork, everybody -- blessed this center. maybe courage and inspiration of betty ann ong -- everybody -- bless this center. maybe love and dedication of all the rec park staff,

volunteers, directors, past and present, everybody -- bless this center. made the sound of laughter as well as the sweat of hard work, everybody -- bless this center. >in the spirit of community that poses all together -- bless this center. before i say amen, and now may god bless this center named the betty ann ong chinese recreation center, let's a all celebrate by, men. >> [all] amen. [applause] 9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 -- [cheers and applause]

>> when the new california academy of sciences opened in

2008, it quickly became one of the top tourist magnets in the city. part of the cal academies' astronomical success is the weekly nightlife party. >> i am joined by helen, who is here to school me on all the nocturnal activities that are getting ready to take place here. tell us a little about what we can expect to see at nightlife. >> we open up the doors every thursday night at the california academy of sciences. there are certain things you can see every week you can go to the museum, visit the planetarium, and we bring in bars and a deejay or band. it is a different feel from during the day, something different every week. tonight , we have beer and music. -- tonight we have great beer and music. it is beer week. we have a dozen local brewers in african hall. we have a deejays to set up throughout the museum and a live

performance at 9:00 p.m. tonight. >> what has been your favorite part as a participant or as an observer? >> my favorite part is to walk around the aquarium in to see people with a drink in their hands, getting to know maybe somebody new, may be looking for a day, or chatting with friends. there jellyfish. i mean, they are beautiful. >> the culmination of the animals. >> it is very impressive. we do not have this at home. >> tell us a little about some of the spider's we see here on display. >> at the california academy of sciences, there is a very large collection of preserved and live specimens, which are the evidence about evolution. we have the assassin spiders, which are spiders that exclusively kill and eat other spiders. they are under the microscope here.

research done and the california academy's i rhinology lab suggests that the assassin spiders have been doing this for over 150 million years. this glassed in room is a real scientific laboratory, and the people in that room are preparing specimens of vertebrate, that is mammals and birds. the way they do this is to remove the skin, sew it together in a relatively lifelike pose, and ensure that it does not decompose. >> i am a really big class actress fan, so i am here to see them, and beer week. >> i wanted to learn something and have fun. >> i always enjoy it. i am not all is well -- always working as i am tonight. sometimes i come to enjoy the music and to dance.

♪ >> culturewire covers the arts in san francisco, and one of my favorite culture artists is here tonight. jason, thank you for being on culturewire. tell us about some of your posters that we have here today. >> most of the posters here are four specific shows or tours. i am hired by the bands or the venue. >> what is the inspiration behind these posters? >> no, disease of the related to the bay and, of course. music -- it is related to the band, of course the musical content or isn't related to the bed. album covers can come from anywhere. ♪

♪ >> class actress was great. we have been having so much fun. i did not realize how beautiful the cal academy looks than that. what other events take place here? >> we do corporate events that night on a regular basis. but nightlife is your best bet to come in as a regular person pharmacy the academy at night, and visit with friends. calacademy.org/nightlife. we have details for the next few weeks. you can get tickets online in advance or at the door. >> thank you so much. thank you for watching culturewire on sf gov tv.

>> good morning, everyone. thank you for making this a reality. without you, it would not have happened. let's hear it for the volunteers. [applause] >> i have organized this for 17 years. together, we are the friends of the pink chronicle. we are trying to get the message out of what can happen. we are all wearing our print -- pink triangle t-shirts income

robbery with those who were in it in concentration camps. there are reminders of hate and intolerance and an appreciation of what we -- of where we stand during pride weekend. it is to remind you of the hatred and prejudice of the past and that it still exists in some parts of the world. while we have a wonderfully tolerance city, it is not as tall or elsewhere. i would like to welcome congresswoman democratic leader nancy pelosi. [applause] the mayor of santa francisco, the honorable ed lee. [applause]

former mayor and lifetime achievement grand marshal, brown jr. [applause] senator mark leno. [applause] assemblyperson tom amiano. [applause] san francisco treasurer jose cisneros. [applause] the recorder of the city, phil. [applause] the president of the sentences court of supervisors, david ch iu. [applause] supervisor campos. [applause]

supervisor wiener. [applause] supervisor cohen. [applause] and we're thrilled to have so many of the grand marshals at the parade. [applause] carmen carrera of ru paul's drag race. [applause] global grand marshal bishop christopher. [applause] [applause] gilbert baker award recipient,

gilbert baker himself. he is the creator of the international symbol, the rainbow flag. [applause] individual community grand marshals rebecca, gary -- i do not know if he is here today because he has a very busy day. he hosts the pride run that is gone on in about 30 minutes. -- that is going on in about 30 minutes. and we are thrilled to once again have the san francisco lesbian and gay bad, the official bant -- band, the official band of pride week.

[applause] we have the board chair, lisa williams as well as the executive director. [applause] the sisters of perpetual indulgence skerrit -- of perpetual indulgence, the castro alliance club, thankyou all. [applause] thanks to danny for the website and d.j. josh, one of the community grand marshals. [applause] and i would like to thank all of you for your help, especially my sister colleen and my partner,

jose. [applause] and my mother. everyone is so lucky to have you. we start off the program each year with a reminder of what the pink triangle is about. to tell the history of the pink triangle, please welcome the star of greece. -- of grease. [applause] >> good morning writ -- good morning. this is too much to take in this early. you guys are amazing. the history of the pink triangle. the pink triangle was used by

nazis in concentration camps to identify and shame homosexuals. this symbol, which was used in an attempt to label and shame, has been embraced by the gay community as a symbol of pride. [applause] that is right. however, in the 1930's and 1940's, there was nothing to celebrate. gays were forced to wear the pink triangle on their pockets in the concentration camps. to identify them as homosexuals, to set them apart from the other prisoners. triangles of various colors were used to identify each category of undesirable. yellow for the jewish, brown for gypsies, red for political prisoners, green for prisoners, black for anti-socialist, purple for jehovah's witness, blue for

immigrants, and tank for homosexuals. the pink triangles were slightly larger than the other triangle'' so that the guards could identify them from a distance. it is said that those who wore the pink triangles were singled out by the guards to receive harsher treatment and when the guards were finished with them, some of the other inmates would harm them as well. at the end of the war, when the concentration camps were finally liberated, virtually all of the prisoners were released except for those with the pink triangle. many of those with pink triangles on their pockets were put back into prison and the nightmare continued. it is the same kind of senseless, irrational hatred that still haunts days, jews, blacks, and other minorities today. the taliban in afghanistan

required non-muslims to wear identifying badges on their clothing, just as the nazis required their undesirables to wear those logos so long ago. history repeats itself. that is why 26 -- excuse me, that is why the twin peaks this play is so important. -- display is so important. we have to help educate others and present -- and prevent it from happening again. what happened during the holocaust must never be repeated. [applause] >> to illustrate