When the ancient Polynesians invented surfing, they often used a paddle to help them navigate. Fast-forward a few millennia, and Stand-Up Paddleboarding, or SUP, finds itself trendy again. Part of its increasing popularity is that standing upright allows surfers to spot waves more easily and thus catch more of them, multiplying the fun factor. Paddling back to the wave becomes less of a strain as well. The ability to cruise along on flat inland water, surveying the sights, is another advantage. Finally, it’s a good core workout. If you’re sold on the idea, schedule an intro SUP lesson, free with board and paddle rental, and you may find yourself riding the waves like a Polynesian king.More
Many of us remember coming home from our elementary schools with freshly glazed pinchpots, cups, or whatever else our young imaginations could conjure up. Saturday mornings at the Randall Museum can bring that memory back, or create a new one for the youngsters. Ceramics make great gifts — especially on Mothers' and Fathers' Day. Hop on board for the Randall's once-weekly class, and for $6 and two weeks to have your work fired and glazed, you'll have all the materials you need.More
December is almost over - the New Year is coming up and everyone is busy drying off from the rain or holiday shopping. Let's take a look at what's happened this month.
PostedByAndy Wright
on Thu, Mar 27, 2008 at 10:09 AM
Everyone is all in a tizzy over the musical lineup for this summer’s Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival, featuring acts like Radiohead, Manu Chao, Beck and Wilco. It’s an impressive collection of musicians, to be sure, but the media attention devoted to the festival has drawn the spotlight away from another impressive Bay Area lineup at the Alameda County Fair. According to an article in today’s Alameda Times-Star the price of admission will also buy you a chance to see Eddie Money and Boyz II Men. Can you afford to NOT go? Also featured will be War, "a band that has been called the most successful musical crossover group that fused rock, jazz, Latin and R&B." I wonder who the second most successful musical crossover group to fuse rock, jazz, Latin and R&B is? Pack your bags, we leave tonight. -Andy Wright
PostedByAndy Wright
on Thu, Mar 27, 2008 at 9:17 AM
An intrepid citizen helped SF Police apprehend a bank robbing ring yesterday, according to an article in today’s Chronicle. The unnamed motorist saw the robbers drive away from the Bank of America at 501 Castro St. on March 20 and followed them, writing down the number of the "getaway SUV" and providing it to police. Three men were arrested, Michael Skates, 29, James Burge, 51, and Peter Juneau, 40. Apparently, one of the older thieves had found a protégé in Skates, who he was "schooling" in the art of bank heists, and doing a pretty good job, since the group has carried out a string of successful robberies starting in November. -Andy Wright
PostedByAndy Wright
on Wed, Mar 26, 2008 at 12:02 PM
How much is too much to pay a city staffer? Supervisor Aaron Peskin thinks it’s anything over $150,000 and the San Francisco Sentinel reports today that he will seek an ordinance abolishing positions whose salaries exceed that amount. From Peskin’s announcement:
“As we all know, in light of the ballooning deficit for the coming year reported in the joint report at at $338 million dollars, I think that it is imperative, colleagues, that we begin to pare down the current year budget…Not just through non-spending or freezing of funds, but actually through affirmative actions by the Board to amend the annual appropriations ordinance and the salary ordinance…”
Peskin said not once, but twice, that he doesn’t “relish” the job of introducing the bill to the Board next Tuesday. –Andy Wright
PostedByAndy Wright
on Wed, Mar 26, 2008 at 11:13 AM
Consarnit, you kids, always driving your fire trucks up and down the street! Saving people, and making a big to-do about it! Blowing your horns, blasting your air sirens, saying ‘Look at me!’ From today’s Chronicle:
…a large group of citizens in the city's center - the Tenderloin, Polk Street, South of Market and central Market areas - have had enough. Three years ago, Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White signed a general work order saying that fire truck air horns should be limited to "high-risk" situations, but neighbors say little has changed and they are leaning on the chief to do more.
Tenderloin resident Michael Pedersen describes a dire scene:
"It's mind-boggling the number of calls. We can't have this every 10 or 15 minutes ... You see kids crying, mothers don't know what to do. It's completely wacko, uncivilized."
There's a reason it's called a "three -alarm fire" and not a "three-tracks-by-Enya fire." -Andy Wright
Photographer about town and finder-out of obscure facts WHAT IM SEEING has looked into the interesting origins of the Blackpool Boat Tram, the green and white chopped-top Muni car strung with Christmas lights occasionally seen slowly meandering along the F-Market Line. Here's the skinny:
It's an English-built 1934 Blackpool Boat Tram -- fully-restored -- and came to S.F. in 1984.
It started running along the F Line in 1995, making its annual debut in early spring.
PostedByAndy Wright
on Wed, Mar 26, 2008 at 10:26 AM
Finally, someone has taken on the heady task of figuring out what famous people our democratic presidential candidates are vaguely related to.According to an AP article from today, researchers at the New England Historic Genealogical society have found that Hillary Clinton is kind-of, sort-of related to Angelina Jolie while Barack Obama is a distant cousin of her boyfriend, Brad Pitt. Finally, a news item that affords publications the opportunity to feature pictures of actual hot people instead of average looking presidential candidates. Clinton is also related to Celine Dion, Alanis Morissette and Madonna. Obama is related to six US Presidents, including George W. Bush, which of course allows genealogist Christopher Child to loftily point out that “while the candidates often focus on pointing out differences between them, their ancestry shows they are more alike than they think.” You’ve given us a lot to think about today, Mr.Childs.-Andy Wright
Ahh, spring is finally here! Spring cleaning is such a pain in the ass though, why not ignore the inside of your disgusting apartment and focus on sprucing up the sidewalk instead? Plant*SF offers the perfect rationale with its upcoming two-day Sidewalk Landscaping workshop class. They'll cover getting a permit, swapping cement for shrubs, and picking the right plants for your little patch of urban jungle. It's this Saturday and Sunday (March 29 - 30). $85. Get some sun, freak. (via Ideal Bite)
A 55-year-old woman was struck by a historic Muni street car in front of the Ferry Building on Tuesday, though her injuries were not life-threatening, according to police officials. The woman, whose identity was not released, was hit by an F-Market street car but her legs did not get caught under the vehicle, which prevented any serious injuries from occurring said Sgt. Steve Mannina, a spokesman for the San Francisco Police Department.“Fortunately, she fell backwards when she was struck so she didn’t get trapped in the wheels,” Mannina said.
Nobody ever wants to hear the word “fortunately” coupled with the phrase “trapped in the wheels.” The Examiner helpfully points out that the woman is the seventeenth person to be struck by a Muni vehicle this year. I would like to point out that this year is not quite three months old. (pic from whatimseeing)-Andy Wright
PostedByAndy Wright
on Wed, Mar 26, 2008 at 9:04 AM
An article posted today on CDNN (Cyber Diver News Network) seems to have been produced for the sole purpose of disgusting and enthralling salacious 14-year-olds everywhere. It’s got giant squids, huge penises, and death by sex. From a report written by Spanish scientists, possibly while giggling:
"Although mating has never been observed in giant squid, it is thought that what happens is that the male injects his sperm packages into the female's arms. The process is likely to be a fairly violent affair as the female is probably not that keen on being injected. This is a problem for the amorous male as females are normally a third bigger than they are."
Sub Pop recording artists 'clipping.' brought their brand of noise-driven experimental hip hop to the closing night of 2016's San Francisco Electronic Music Fest this past Sunday. The packed Brava Theater hosted an initially seated crowd that ended the night jumping and dancing against the front of the stage. The trio performed a set focused on their recently released Sci-Fi Horror concept album, 'Splendor & Misery', then delved into their dancier and more aggressive back catalogue, and recent single 'Wriggle'.
Opening performances included local experimental electronic duo 'Tujurikkuja' and computer music artist 'Madalyn Merkey.'"
