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.
According to Indian thought, we have seven centers of spiritual power on our bodies called chakras, starting from our reproductive organs all the way up to the top of our heads.
The world nearly stopped last year when rumors that this well-graffitied, deeply historied Market Street rock 'n' roll bar would be knocked down and turned into condos started circulating.
Since Childs has been jailed since 2008, he may only spend an additional four to six months incarcerated, according to his attorney, Richard Shikman. This is the ostensible end of a situation which marked the closest a frustrated San Francisco employee has ever come to being equated with a James Bond villain. That comparison was made when Mayor Gavin Newsom himself was the man called in to eventually wrest the codes out of Childs in the engineer's jail cell.
Those sorts of escapades -- and today's natural focus on Childs' punishment -- obscure a starker reality. The Terry Childs situation was an embarrassment for San Francisco and an indictment of how this city is run.
PostedByAlex Wolens
on Fri, Aug 6, 2010 at 4:15 PM
Judge Vaughn Walker is not universally popular these days
In an effort to undermine Judge Vaughn Walker's Prop. 8 ruling, the American Family Association is leading a campaign to impeach the jurist. The right-leaning pro-family organization states in a letter on its website that Walker should not have been allowed to hear the case in the first place.
Bryan Fischer, the AFA's director of issue analysis, tells SF Weekly that Congress must step in and overrule the Judicial Branch of government because "federal judges are out of control."
Besides arguing that Walker wanted to turn himself into a star by televising the trial, the AFA cites two reasons Judge Walker was unfit to preside:
PostedByJoe Eskenazi
on Fri, Aug 6, 2010 at 3:54 PM
Jerry Brown says: Go get married!
Update: You're never going to believe this, but, at 4:59 p.m. the City and County of San Francisco also filed a motion urging the stay be lifted!
Attorney General Jerry Brown has filed a motion with Judge Vaughn Walker requesting that no stay be placed on the ruling overturning Prop. 8. If Walker lifts the current stay, it would lead to a brief period of legalized same-sex marriage until the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals officially takes the case and imposes its own stay.
"As the Attorney General has consistently stated and as was convincingly demonstrated at trial, Proposition 8 violates the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution," reads Brown's motion. "Defendant-Intervenors thus cannot demonstrate a likelihood of success on the merits in their appeal of this Court's Order."
Brown's motion was filed moments before Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's -- which also argued against continuing the stay.
In addition to the alleged robber hospitalized Thursday morning after taking a bullet to the torso, San Francisco Police announce they've now arrested a suspect who was shot in the leg and another who avoided being struck by bullets. One of the men was armed with a shotgun during the abortive mugging, police say.
The city's Local Business Enterprise program, which gives preference to San Francisco businesses bidding on government contracts, is in shambles, an audit reveals.
Paperwork required to prevent widespread fraud is routinely ignored -- and contractors are paid anyway, the city controller reports.
PostedByJoe Eskenazi
on Fri, Aug 6, 2010 at 12:25 PM
Joe Eskenazi
Wheeeeee!
VIDEO: Our gut-wrenching Mini Cooper ridealong
If you're 21 years old and have a valid driver's license, you're eligible to channel Steve McQueen while careening a Mini Cooper through hairpin turns at alarming speed.
The good folks from Mini Cooper are sponsoring a happening at AT&T Park's Lot C today until 5 p.m. Event organizers told SF Weekly that, yes, the chance to drive the vehicles through an obstacle course is meant to appeal to future customers. But, when asked if a homeless person could show up and take a car out for a spin, we were told he or she could -- provided said homeless person has a driver's license. You know who you are.
PostedByJoe Eskenazi
on Fri, Aug 6, 2010 at 10:59 AM
Greg Skrepenak, during happier days at Michigan
If ever an opponent blasted past former Oakland Raiders offensive lineman Greg Skrepenak a little too easily and flattened the quarterback -- maybe it all makes a bit more sense now.
The former football player was today sentenced to two years in jail and fined $5,000 for a corruption conviction. While serving as a commissioner in Luzerne County, Penn., he accepted a $5,000 bribe in exchange for his vote to approve more than $1 million in loans toward a development project.
PostedByJoe Eskenazi
on Fri, Aug 6, 2010 at 8:30 AM
Gracias, Jerry
With Jerry Rice, San Francisco 49ers fans had it all. The best player with the best work ethic playing for the best team. It was, well, the best.
Rice will be inducted into the pro football Hall of Fame tomorrow. But for your humble narrator, utter the words "Jerry Rice" and a very distinct memory comes up.
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.'"
