Results tagged “ban”

Though not a new idea, its sanity level, or lack thereof, remains the same: permanently removing vehicles and Muni lines from Market Street. This is the latest idea tinkering around inside Newsom's sleek head.

If you're heading down to Santa Cruz this weekend to buy and take illicit drugs -- a common practice in a city that seems to have crashed into the side of California -- remember on thing: you won't be able to smoke outdoors starting today. IN certain areas, at least. Santa Cruz's outdoor smoking ban went into effect today. According to KTVU, "[a] new ordinance, approved by the City Council on Sept. 22, prohibits smoking on Pacific Avenue, Beach Street between the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf and Third Street, and West Cliff Drive." Over the last ten years, Pacific Avenue -- once a bastion of unwashed, methed out looking for a tuppence or two -- has turned into more of a boutique street.

The July 2 issue of Sacramento News & Review, it seems, wasn't the most popular issue of SN&R. Why? Well, the cover story -- featuring a safe couple, Ben and Lonny Phillips-Lesenana, and the headline, "5 easy steps to marriage freedom" -- proved very unpopular with Sacto ilk. So much so that the paper's return rate that week was staggeringly high.

As expected, U.S. judge in San Francisco denied an injunction yesterday on a federal lawsuit that challenged Prop 8. What does this mean? This: So, after the California Supreme court came down with their ruling that even though state law gives gays a right to marry, you can take that right away. David Boies and Ted Olsen (former adversaries during the Bush v Gore brouhaha who came together for in order to protect "human decency") filed suit saying that Prop 8 violates federal constitutional law. Why? So that this one would go to the U.S. Supreme Court and cover everyone in America, win or lose. Anyway, Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker decided not to rule on the question right now, but is going to have a trial soon to go over all the history of homophobia in the U.S., the effects of Prop 8 in California, etc., which should actually be interesting (even though it sounded like yesterday's trail was listless.) According to CBS5 / BCN, Walker has yet to set a trial date. "but ordered lawyers on both sides to submit a statement to him by Aug. 7 detailing which facts they agree on, which facts are in dispute and a 'plan of action' for resolving the case." (Hat tip: Rita Hao for her legal expertise.)

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed a law on Tuesday banning any and all loitering outside of SF nightclubs. This, it seems, will help stop violent crimes that happen in front of nightclubs. Now thugs looking to punch or murder other patrons will have to walk a few feet away from a nightclub in order to commit their preferred acts of violence. A dirty, evil loiterer is, for those of you who don't know, a person who "remains a pedestrian for a period of over three minutes within ten feet from the entrance of a nightclub or within ten feet from any point on any lines formed at the entrance to a nightclub." If a loiterer is caught in the act of mischievous loitering outside a nightclub, according to SFBG, they will be "fined $50-$100 and/or community service. But if charged with a misdemeanor, they will be punished with a $200-$500 fine and/or community service, or six months in the County jail, or fine and jail." In related news: You weren't using those First Amendment rights anyway, were you?

Just after Ross Mirkarimi's pro-life hummus breath suggested a citywide ban on foie gras - you know, in addition to the other one set to go in 2012 -- Gavin Newsom also kowtowed to PETA by temporarily banning the hotly debated dish at all Plumjack restaurants. (Pft.) We say "temporarily" since they want to replace the right way too make the deliciously plumped duck/goose liver with some sort of "humane" way. (You're lucky you boast a superb happy hour, Jack Falstaff; otherwise, we'd be picketing outside your doors wearing this.)

According to a Field Poll of 761 registered voters, "48 percent of those surveyed would support a new ballot initiative repealing Proposition 8, while 47 percent would favor keeping the ban in place," according to reports." That is to say, almost of the state of California is complicit in allowing discrimination into the state constitution. Unnerving.

Prop 8 bit starring Jack Black, John C. Reilly, Margaret Cho, Allison Janney, Maya Rudolph, and more. Oh, and it's good. Real good.

Senator Mark Leno and (new!) Assemblymember Tom Ammiano will introduce measures that prove Proposition 8 is "an improper revision of the California State Constitution," according to reports. The measure, which should be announced today during the second day of the 2009-20101 legislative session, is sponsored by Equality California and the National Center for Lesbian Rights. Prop 8, if you recall, could ban same-same marriage, effectively altering the California constitution to allow discrimination.

A new theory is percolating about Gus Van Sant's ?" and "[I]f the film had found an audience early enough, could it have made a difference?" In our post-Prop. 8 world those are good questions, ones that we personally cannot answer. But one thing is for sure: Milk will land the sympathy vote come Oscar night.

Gone are the days of free love, free LSD, and freedom to eat whatever you want. After last week's historic decision to make San Francisco the first in the country to ban the sale of cigarettes in pharmacies Walgreens and Rite Aid stores, City Hall isn't stopping there. The Board of Supes also wants to bar you from lighting up in city parks, ATM lines, and common areas of apartment buildings; voted for chain restaurants to post nutritional information on menus; have shunned delicious trans-fats (which is semi-ridiculous since high fructose corn syrup is the real enemy, but that's an entirely different post altogether); charge restaurants a fee for selling sugary sodas (which is good since Diet Coke tastes better); and close down city streets in an effort to get you to participate in mass jazzercise.

Plug 1 from WhatImSeeing (he seems to be everywhere all at once!) sent us this image today after he picked up a pack of cool, smooth, refreshing Parliament Lights. It seems Walgreens, a chain that can do no wrong in our eyes, is handing out these flyers when you buy cigs today. Check it:

The entertaining/controversial Chris Daly, who seems a bit quiet as of late, has a new target now: wafts of cigarette smoke. We're told that his latest push of legislation "calls for a smoking ban outside of restaurants, in waiting areas, within 20 feet of nonresidential buildings," and in common areas of apartment buildings. That is to say, you might have to look elsewhere to spark up that Capri or Virgina Slim while eating out. The Board of Supervisors will vote on the measure come Thursday.

While his Holiness is more or less meh when it comes to non-consensual sex between a man and a boy, same-sex marriage just ain't cool in his book. So stop, says Pope Benedict.

Heads have been exploding throughout California ever since this morning's delightful news about same-sex marriage was announced. City Attorney Dennis Herrera, in particular, is beaming--at least according to a press released sent out an hour after the ruling was announced.

According to ABC 7--who just mercifully brought The View to a screeching halt to inform viewers--the California State Supreme Court struck down the gay marriage ban. So: same-sex marriage is now legal, at least according to the California Supreme Court.

This tickles us ever so. Last year after 4,000+ folks in the Richmond held their breath until their faces turned blue, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted to ban the popular coffee chain Starbucks from setting up shop at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Geary. Problem solved, right? Wrong.