San Francisco gave a proper shout-out to the inarguably wonderful Catalan people today (full disclosure: your editor's family hails from the area) after signing a sisters-cities pact with Barcelona, Spain. Spearheaded by Sister Cities International, a nonprofit "designed to strengthen partnerships between U.S. communities and those abroad," Mayor Gavin Newsom made it official on Monday. Sister Cities International strives to "build global cooperation at the municipal level, promote cultural understanding and stimulate economic development." more ›

Each Tuesday we will feature new music that should (or whatever) be on your radar. Standouts: 1. Eskimo Joe - Black Fingernails Red Wine (w/ Bonus DVD): Hands down, one of the best CD's of 2007. Eskimo Joe released "Black Fingernails, Red Wine" as their debut single in the US in August. Their CD already went quadruple platinum in Australia (it was released in 2006). The quiet application of the piano combined with the melodramatic... more ›