Enjoy the famous Yahoo! billboard in San Francisco while you can because it will soon be torn down. The 1950s motel-style neon Yahoo! sign has stood as a world-famous landmark at the eastbound approach to the Bay Bridge since the Web 1.0 days, when Yahoo! was the wildest dot-com in the west. Yahoo! says it will take down the nostalgic billboard, leaving the San Francisco Bay Area forever stripped of a glittering part of its identity. As word spreads of the iconic Internet symbol’s impending doom, many say that dismantling the Yahoo! billboard is equal to burning down the Hollywood sign. Clear Channel now has the space available at a base rent of $65,000 per month but — really — who wants to make a debut before millions of sad Yahoo! billboard fans who look upon the new tenant as an intruder, usurper and poser? Talk about a tough act to follow. The emotional perception is already forming that the end of the Yahoo! billboard is like the end of the trailblazing company itself, and that should be taken into account. The current outcry in support of the billboard may not stop the vintage sign from being destroyed and hauled to the scrap yard, unfortunately. The death sentence of the beloved 20th century neon sign comes as Yahoo! seeks the best way to redefine itself as a business amid a downturn and subsequent shakeup. As 2012 begins, Yahoo! is now “focused on new and innovative ways to market the company,” so the ’50s motel theme of the billboard might be too backward-looking for a corporation planning to own a chunk of the future. However, there are enough people in California, and worldwide, who are concerned about the historic Yahoo! billboard being torn down enough to send a dollar, euro, rupee or yen in order to preserve the landmark sign. Problem solved. SAVE THE YAHOO! BILLBOARD