When we last left new Department of Building Inspectors Amy Lee, she had to put the big freeze on remodeling her house because "somebody" appealed her permit to build. The appeal came after she had already started so a family that was basically living in whatever parts of the house hadn't been worked on, had to continue living that way while the appeal process worked it's way through. As Beyond Chron put it: "There will be no Christmas tree at the Lee’s house this season, as there is no room." Well, Christmas is coming to Amy, her family, and Tiny Tim Lee this year because yesterday, the Board of Appeals rejected the appeal and the renovation can continue. more ›

All this over the protests of Joltin' Joe O'Donoghue and his buddies because of her pregnant condition. With job finally assured, she promptly celebrated by going out on maternity leave where we all thought things would go happily ever after. But no. Now, her entire family is basically living in the living room of their duplex apartment in Upper Haight because she was hit with a late appeal on an already given out permit to re-do her top floor. A re-do that had already been started and now can't be worked on until at least a hearing on Dec. 14th. more ›

Just a little word from your sponsor before we kick into last week's winner: this correspondent's taking a little time off from the column -- it's not you, it's us -- and SFist Eve has generously volunteered to cover the column for a few weeks. We'll be back soon, though, we promise! (Or rather, more specifically, we promised SFist Eve.) Okay, where were we? Oh yes, the Guardian. It's the endorsement issue! Get your November ballot cheat sheet here! (Never fear, SFist will do one too, if we get around to it.) Featuring: the world's most tepid endorsement in the assessor's race! (Thanks to Left in SF for pointing this out.) In other news, an article about Friend of SFist H. Brown's one-blogger campaign for reopening the bathrooms in the public park, and a picture of a protest outside TIC lawyer Andrew Zacks' office. Hey, that's right by our Peets' Coffee! The sex columnist is forced to explain the sex subculture of people obsessed with Conan the Barbarian. (Maybe the SchwarzenWatcher can get behind that one?) Local band Deerhoof. And two pictures previously featured on the 'Fist, Edward Burtynsky and Dr. Atomic. Next up, the Metro: Legal drug plants! Landlord evicts all those cool shops in the middle of downtown San Jose -- apparently tacos will attract SJSU student riffraff. The Mercury News refuses to run an article about a man campaigning against "penal enlargement" (you know, prisons) with a mildly-risque cartoon illustration. Cover article: facilitating Chinese internet censorship with Cisco routers. Just like the SJ City Hall, only substitute the word "ethical shenanigans for "Chinese internet censorship." Korean food in the S. Bay. Gwen Stefani and other folks who broke from their bands in an attempt to make it big. How's that working out for ya, Trey Anastacio? And Straight Dope: who ya got, Shakespeare or Tom Clancy? Get your New Times Media barrage with the SF Weekly and the EBX after the jump. Plus, this correspondent's very last pick of the week! Who knows what SFist Eve's gonna like starting next week? more ›