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.
Two of San Francisco's blossoming auteurs have been inspired this week. Don't miss your chance to hitch your wagon to their stars (I'm certainly not!).
The Senate was unable to stop Sen. John McCain's filibuster of the military authorization bill on Tuesday, which means that -- among other things -- the greatest democracy in the world is unwilling to stop the military from discharging LGBT personnel.
Not that the so-called repeal language included in the bill would have repealed the policy anyway. This military spending bill allows Don't Ask Don't Tell (DADT) to be repealed after Dec. 1, 2010 following a review and certification of the plan to cease enforcement by three bigwigs -- and then wait another 60 days -- (and stand on your left foot and extend your right arm) and then the policy will no longer be enforced.
Even a lousy repeal failed. Who gets the credit for the mess?
Late yesterday, another radical hippie judge in California ruled that queers are protected by the U.S. Constitution. A lawsuit against the military ban on gay service members, Don't Ask Don't Tell, was ruled to be a violation of the First Amendment rights of gay people. The suit was brought by the gay Republican political organization known as the Log Cabin Republicans.
Seriously, Republicans again? Unlike Reagan/Bush pick Vaughn Walker, Judge Virginia Phillips was nominated in 1999 by Bill Clinton -- but gay Republicans filed this lawsuit. What the hell is going on lately? Hillary Clinton is going to have to rewrite her book from 1996 and change the title to It Takes a Republican.
Republicans are much more entertaining than Democrats, don't you think? They make the most outlandish and flamboyant statements without a hint of irony about the incredible insincerity of their positions. Democrats usually just bite their lips waiting for the antidepressants to kick in.
The midterm election is making conservatives do very odd things. They are squawking like a crow with a butt plug and at the same time they are bending over forward to make themselves more easily accessible to LGBTs in hopes of spurring an anti-Democratic protest vote this fall.
This Week in Gay is all right-wing carrot and stick...
Ken Mehlman has had plenty of dancing partners at the hypocrisy party
When Ken Mehlman crawled out of the closet last week he dragged a legion of filthy dust bunnies along with him. For years, Mehlman was the mouthpiece -- and brain trust -- of the political party that built its reputation around the defamation and marginalization of LGBT Americans.
Mehlman's announcement got us thinking about how many right-wingers turn out to be gay. It's almost like watching the magic mirror segment on Romper Room. One name after another after another of Kenny's conservative fellows have tumbled out of the closet.
Here's a list of the most scandalous hetero-cum-homo revelations we could think of:
Everyone loves the dog. Everyone hates his employer.
When candidates running for the Board of Supervisors were asked what they thought about Target's plans to open a pair of San Francisco outlets, their opinions were like discount footwear at the big box store: plentiful, hard to miss -- and uncomfortable.
PostedByPeter Jamison
on Fri, Aug 13, 2010 at 2:27 PM
John Yoo
You gotta hand it to John Yoo, the former Bush Administration attorney who provided a legal rationale for torturing prisoners of war. It must be tough being an anti-human-rights playa in the midst of Collectivist Berkeley, where Yoo is a professor of -- wait for it -- constitutional law.
But Yoo has never backed down from the poor legal reasoning that led him and other Justice Department officials to authorize inhumane treatment of prisoners, and he's now taken a provocative stand on another question of civil rights: gay marriage.
Luis Juarbe, facing camera, and Mike Reardon will just have to wait a little longer...
This week was full of more of damn waiting. Just like last week. Last week we waited for Judge Vaughn Walker to decide that Prop. 8 was a piece of anti-American trash. This week we had to wait to find out if he wants Prop. 8 to stay in effect pending appeal or if same-sex couples can finally stop using the "colored only" drinking fountains of domestic partnership.
The decision was supposed to be issued between 9 a.m. and noon yesterday
and people were peeing in wastebaskets -- true story -- at work for fear they'd miss the
breaking news if they walked away from Twitter to go to the bathroom.
Finally, at about 12:30 the news broke: Walker sort of lifted the stay on his decision, but he also sort of didn't.
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.'"
