Arnold has vetoed two bills that would have expanded the Family Leave Act, which allows employees of medium to large companies to take 12 weeks of unpaid leave or 6 weeks of paid leave to bond with babies, take care of sick spouses, domestic partners, children, or parents. Adding extended family to the Act was "too confusing" for the guv.

While some expansion of existing law may have merit, these laws in combination are too expansive and also fail to recognize the need for reforms to current law.

Family leave advocates are, of course, pretty upset. They expected Schwarzenegger to pass at least one of the two expansion bills.

Read more about it here.

McGee has had a pretty rough time of it lately. First she got let go from her show on Free FM amongst rumors of all sorts of sexual harassment. And then her apartment caught on fire when the manager tried to flip the circuit back on after a power outage. McGee lost everything but did manage to roust her neighbors before things got out of hand and kept them from getting hurt from the fire.

So stop on by and lend a helping hand.

Here's how: we've got Veterans Affairs hospitals of our own in the city.

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You're for the war? Against the war? Sure, whichever; this is about supporting people who represent all of us.

Here's what you can do, send care packages for wounded veterans to:

San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center
AMVET Service Officer
Building 200, GA 163
4150 Clement Street
San Francisco, CA, 94121

"They need things like razorblades, toothpaste, toothbrushes, socks," said service officer Bob De La Cruz. Everyday things. This is an easy way to show that you care. Write a letter too, if you'd like.

Pitch in, help a veteran today.

Next up: what you can do for today's arrested protesters, if they're still being held.

San Francisco wasn't the only place moved by the Kim family tragedy. People around the world followed the tragic story with bated breath as the events unfolded. For most of us it's hard to feel anything but sadness after such an event. We turn off our computers, talk about how the search should have started earlier, wonder what would have happened if the road the family travelled on was locked as it should have been. But a rare group of us hear stories like the Kims' in the news and do something with the loss they feel.

Lisa Congdon and her family are among that group. Together Lisa, her sister, and her mother have organized a Kim family auction. The auction is entirely online auction. It begins January 3rd and ends the January 7th. All proceeds will go directly to the already existing Kim family fund. There are aver 46 artists from all over the world who have donated some beautiful items, ranging from ceramics to original paintings to small quilts.

After the jump, we speak with Lisa Congdon for her thoughts on the auction.

By SFist Christina

Just follow the link and the directions and you too can watch in. And for more information on how to adopt one of the dogs or cats, click here.

Below you'll find a list of some of the craft fairs happening in the bay area this December. Because when it comes down to it, wouldn't you rather do your shopping in a bar, with a drink in hand? We know we would. So avoid long lines for the new Tickle Me Elmo (did they really need to make another one of those?), fluorescent lighting, and those scary make-up ladies trying to push perfume and eighty dollar blush on you.

To help get your list started we asked a couple of our favorite local designers what they want this year. So read on after the jump and give your Aunt Eunice something she can't buy at the mall in Indiana. You can thank us later.

By SFist Christina Loff, contributing

Now, Parks and Rec won't necessarily act immediately. In fact, they've admitted that they do only what they can. But they still act if possible. Last month's crackdown on Golden Gate Park was partly spurred by complaints. And smaller things like graffiti or an over abundance of dog sh-- are often acted upon.

If you want to see the types of complaints posted as well as for which park, check out the story in the Examiner about the site.

So what's in it for you? Well, vacation homes in Provence, Tuscany, and Baja, all donated by their owners. If that's too rich for your blood, there are plenty of small budget things like tickets Beach Blanket Babylon or free makeovers or meals cooked for you by real live fancy-schmancy chefs.

What all this is for is HandUp Cong, "a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people help themselves by providing a helping hand UP to a determined Village in the Democratic Republic of Congo."

A vacation home in Provence and help somebody in Africa? That would be super-sweet. Well, if we could afford it....

The interesting thing is that the main sponsor is Zephyr Real Estate, not exactly a company most people will have the warm fuzzies for. But whatever-- it's a great thing and for a good cause. Hell, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are involved and if they're involved, it's gotta be worth it right there.

Oh, they need volunteers too so if you don't have anything to do, want to help a good cause, and get free grub, just go to the let them know.

The problem is that under the rules of Care Not Cash, most of their welfare money goes to their rooms with only a little bit left over to make ends meet. The eighty or so denizens of the hotel, the McAllister Hotel could go to coffee shops to surf the web but that costs money and when money's tight, going online might not be the best thing to do.

So right now, the hotel is trying to find a way of getting the $2000 or so bucks to wire the hotel and a director for the city's homeless policy said that while they don't have the money for it just yet, there's a possibility they could do something about it.
And if the city ever gets the Wi-Fi thing going, well, hello.

To help out, a benefit for the McCallister Hotel will take place Tuesday at the Soluna Cafe and Lounge with some comedians, including Kevin Avery of Live 105's "Siskel and Negro" fame). We say check it out.

Anyone who wants to go, just show up at Crissy Field (603 Mason and Halleck Street in the Presidio) by 9 and they will assign your task and place to do such task.

For more information on National Public Lands Day, go to here.

For more information on all of our volunteer programs in the Golden Gate National Parks, go here.

Also, they'd love it if you RSVP'ed just so they can get a head count and know what to do about lunch. To RSVP just email or call the Parks Conservancy's point person: Denise Shea, at 415-561-3013 or dshea@parksconservancy.org.