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.
PostedByPeter Jamison
on Mon, Oct 18, 2010 at 4:35 PM
The San Francisco printing company charged with involuntary manslaughter and violating labor laws for the 2008 death of an employee has already paid at least $1.5 million in a civil lawsuit resulting from the incident, court records show.
Digital Pre-Press International, located at Mariposa and Tennessee in the Dogpatch neighborhood, as well as its CEO and press room manager, have been charged with involuntary manslaughter and violations of the Labor Code, both felonies, the office of San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris announced today. The charges stem from an incident on Jan. 29, 2008, in which pregnant worker Margarita Mojica, 26, was crushed and killed by a machine.
PostedByMatt Smith
on Mon, Oct 18, 2010 at 4:15 PM
Nancy Pelosi's Republican opponent to represent her San Francisco congressional seat is the subject of a Chronicleprofile today claiming he "runs to the left of" the House Speaker.
But John Dennis, who says he's raised $2 million to unseat Pelosi, is a "Liberty" Republican. And for committed Libertarians, the notions left and right don't have quite the same meaning as they might with traditional liberals such as Pelosi. Sure, Dennis supports Proposition 19, the marijuana initiative. But he also backs San Francisco left-wing anathema Proposition L, which would prohibit sitting or lying on public ways between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m.
"In a strictly Libertarian world, the roads and sidewalks would be private property," Dennis explained. "If you're obstructing private property, you should be able to get people out of the way."
PostedByLauren Smiley
on Mon, Oct 18, 2010 at 3:59 PM
The recent coverage of gay teen suicides has the country on high alert, with even President Obama's Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, speaking out against bullying. While many of the "It Gets Better" videos on YouTube feature people talking about their horrendous experiences growing up in less liberal and gay-friendly locales than our flaming city of St. Francis, a frightening percentage of queer kids here have attempted to kill themselves. According to recent studies, 34 percent of gay middle schoolers, and 23 percent of high schoolers had attempted suicide in the last year alone.
Those stats are just part of the results from two surveys conducted in the city's public middle and high schools from 2007 to 2009, tallying responses from more than 80 percent of the student body. Here's some more:
PostedByJoe Eskenazi
on Mon, Oct 18, 2010 at 2:35 PM
UPDATE: Vote on Happy Meal legislation continued from tomorrow to Nov. 2
With the city's contentious "Happy Meal legislation" up for a vote tomorrow, Bevan Dufty, the city's least contentious supervisor, finds himself a popular man.
Dufty, a moderate and mayoral candidate, would be the eighth vote in favor of a plan to regulate how healthy a restaurant meal must be in order to enjoy the privilege of including a toy with its purchase price. Without his blessing, the measure is certain to go down in flames to a promised mayoral veto. With Dufty's approval, however, San Francisco will join an exclusive list of municipalities that have regulated what McDonald's can and cannot put in a Happy Meal.
As a result, Dufty has become Mayor McCheese of the Happy Meal debate. A full-page ad in the Examiner today implored him to vote for the measure. "I saw it when I stepped out of the gym this morning," he said.
But the completion of Pacific Bell Park in 2000 changed everything. Now there are two reasons to visit Mission Bay in the middle of a weekday: Attempting to kill maverick cops who oppose police death squadsand attending a Giants game. A neighborhood's got to know its limitations.
Expect a barrage of people doing the latter tomorrow for a 1:15 first pitch vs. Philadelphia in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series. Muni is -- and the transit agency is augmenting Mission Bay-bound transit.
The Sunday morning two-alarm fire damaged nine units of the apartment building and displaced all 25 of the structure's residents due to electrical problems.
PostedByJoe Eskenazi
on Mon, Oct 18, 2010 at 10:45 AM
Say what you will about Muni, it's great for spurring hobbies. Those who knit can assemble entire sweaters or eiderdowns during delays. Your humble narrator read whole books during Muni journeys and nowhere else.
But while it was a great morning for knitters, it was frustrating a.m. for those merely using Muni as a conveyance from Point A to Point B. A signal problem in the Metro Tunnel led to a virtual stoppage of inbound trains from 9:45 to 10:30 a.m.
Busting a gas pipe for the sheer thrill of destruction might make you a sociopath. But, in the days after a large swath of San Bruno went up in flames -- and every odor of yesterday's barbecue fumes results in a school evacuation -- it could go a long way toward getting you declared Public Enemy No. 1.
Along those lines, a pipe-obsessed vandal was spotted last week in the 4800 block of Mission.
PostedByJoe Eskenazi
on Mon, Oct 18, 2010 at 5:30 AM
Same guy?
Television networks enjoy showing off their expensive toys come playoff time. With FOX, that often involves battling robots morphing into various shapes to convey inane statistics. But it also involves high-powered cameras likely developed during the Cold War and now utilized to unnerve home viewers with unwelcome close-ups of Bruce Bochy's visage.
Here's a statement that'll spark a full-scale war between baseball's lovers and haters: Baseball is a slow game. Let's just accept this. But while a three-and-a-half hour game can be a grind in May, the spectacular pressure of October baseball mitigates the delays. Contemplating the magnified consequences of each pitch, each swing, ratchets up the anxiety -- at least for fans. The networks, meanwhile, dial up the drama with a rapid series of pore-revealing close-ups between each pitch. And, in every way this postseason, Tim Lincecum is ready for his close-up.
PostedByJoe Eskenazi
on Mon, Oct 18, 2010 at 12:02 AM
A man peppered with gunfire Saturday night as he sat in his car was not the victim of a haphazard shooting, police told SF Weekly.
A 27-year-old Caucasian was hit with multiple shots in front of his residence in the 500 block of Noriega late Saturday, and forced into overnight surgery. "The suspect is known in this case," said police spokesman Albie Esparza. "It was not a random shooting." The alleged shooter is also described as a 27-year-old white man. A second suspect, who may or may not be an accomplice, is also believed to be a twentysomething Caucasian.
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.'"
