Some images of today's torch relay/protest/insanity/Newsomness as the torch run turned into, well, complete chaos. Whew, what a day. Brian Brooks, Jessica Kraft, and Chase Tingley: thanks for the sharp shots today of the Olympic torch melee.......

Pretty sneaky, Gavin. The torch, as of 2 p.m., is over at Pine and Van Ness. The run is taking place over there now. Only security people are there and lucky pedestrians get to see it in action. Lots of Bay Quacker boat/buses near the flame. Confusion blanketing the city today. This torch route is being made up as it goes along. Very San Francisco. Heh. Check out our Twitter copy-paste post for continual updates.......

Watch live video from Olympic Torch - Live Feed 1 on Justin.tv Care of Justin.tv. Also, for more live blog coverage, visit studentsforafreetibet. Update: Torch relay over. Alas.......

Show is over, everyone. The torch is on its way to South America now. To check out images of today's flame switcheroo acrion--including "No MSG" man and more--go here. Whew. brochtrup: "no ceremonies. at all. pft." (3:52) njudah: "flight of the valkryies: the helis covering the torch are swarming my house!" (3:50) brochtrup: "'torch relay over;' presidio park area to hold closing ceremonies now. what?" (3:30) brochtrup: "coming out of a federal police radio......

Earlier Also, still no sign of torch. SFPD motorcycles are seen zipping up Third and Second Streets."No reports of serious violence," declares Barbara Rodgers of CBS 5.Eerie sensation of local on-air talent far too close to SFist HQ right now. There is a presence in this neighborhood.British PM Gordon Brown boycotts opening ceremonies; Bush still debating similar boycott.Barbara Rogers calls bullshit on current torch run path on King Street. Wonders if it might be......

Photo credit: Sumanth Sukumar Ta-da. Now it's really on, folks.......

According to KCRA 3, a 64-year-old man with a "Free Tibet" strung around his neck killed himself "late Monday night outside the Marina District home of his former landlord." It seems that the still unidentified man used a gun to take his own life. Described as an "Asian male," police spokesman Sgt. Wilfred Williams says that the man "'appeared to have committed suicide' at about 11:46 p.m. in the 2200 block of Beach Street."......

Photo credit: Dollar Bin/Flickr The calm before the storm: McCovey Cove (just outside AT&T Park) awash in red flags, taken late this morning.......

Although, according to fine Mayor Gavin Newsom, the torch route change at a moment's notice, the path is currently starting at AT&T Park (where confrontations are reportedly already taking place), running along the Embarcadero Park (where confrontations are reportedly already taking place), and ending at Justin Herman Plaza (where confrontations are reportedly already taking place). If you get any shots of the flame or hot-headed behavior, be sure to tag them with "sfist" in......

Before today's Olympic torch run, check out some images from yesterday's Tibet Rally and Peace March, brilliantly shot by local photogs 37 °C, Jim Herd, Steve Rhodes, and Dave Schumaker.......

[Live cam view dumped from main page since Mogulus is testy on Firefox. Will replace shortly. In the meantime, visit NBC 11 or CBS 5 Blogs for live streaming action.] Above we have Students For A Free Tibet's directorial debut of today's Olympic torch relay action. Sure, you could check out any local news site, but why not look at the above live stream from SFAFT. Hopefully, these guys--the ones responsible for Monday's Golden Gate......

While we can say for sure where the torch route will go tomorrow--KTVU confusedly announced the "official map route" during today's noon broadcast and KPIX interviewed a fake Bono, so we can't be sure of anything anymore--we can take a stab at it, yes? Yes. Rumor ia that the torch run might--might--go through Berry Street. You know, that little strip of street near the AT&T park? That borders China Basin? Near SF Weekly's office?......

Watch live video from Olympic Torch - Live Feed 1 on Justin.tv Can't make it to today's Tibet rally? Well then, check out the live feed above, or head over to justin.tv to catch to watch/chat about it. Be sure to visit OlympicTorchSF for additional coverage, as well as their Twitter updates, which we highly recommend for culling up-to-the-second torch route specifics. It's so interactive and Web 2.0-y, your head could very well explode. Exciting......

The divisive Olympic flame arrived in SF today all the way from Paris (how chic!) under a shroud of security normally "reserved for head-of-state visits." It touched down at SFO with no protesters in sight (it arrived at 3:40 a.m.) A few notable were there, waiting with anticipation. Ed Lee and Rose Pak--who was "giggling like a teenager" upon its arrival--and a smattering of Olympic athletes greeting the tiny blaze, which was kept in......

In our continuing Beijing Olympic-boycotting coverage, Dave Eggers--the scribe ever well-educated San Franciscan loves to hate (because he's successful at what he does)--wrote a piece in this Sunday's New York Times about the Olympic Torch's run in San Francisco. He claims that the protests that will occur during the run will be a strong statement, especially since it's the torch's only run in Northern America and its an election year. China’s "complicity in the......

Tibetan activists and the San Francisco Darfur Coalition (who, by the way, are trying to turn the holy day of "Casual Friday" into "Darfur Friday") are demanding to know exactly where the torch will be going during its San Francisco run so they can protest that they can protest the China's ongoing human rights violations. Grrr....

A small protest was held at City Hall yesterday by 400-plus pissed off Tibetan immigrants, honoring the 49th anniversary of Tibet's uprising against China, but also San Francisco's hosting of the Olympic torch. Just a preface of what will happen in the city next month, San Francisco will be the focus of a major protest since it's the only US city hosting the Olympic torch relay in the 2008 Beijing games. According to CBS......

Photo credit: sniderscion Torontoist spent its week uncovering who was behind mysterious ads for a drug called "Obay" that popped up across the country (Scientology? Frank Shepard Fairey?), first tracing them to an advocacy group called Colleges Ontario and then confirming their suspicions a few days later.Phillyist learned how to put on a puppet show – it's not as easy as you might think!Shanghaiist discovers that the average starting monthly pay for fresh graduates......

Oh shit. After an alert system SNAFU failed to notify workers at a Marin County treatment facility about a sewage overflow on Thursday night, the San Francisco Bay is now the proud recipient of 2.7 million gallons of both "raw and treated" sewage. Lovely. Although sunbathers are few and far between this time of year, signs are posted all over Crissy Field, Baker Beach, Aquatic Park, and China Beach to keep people from swimming......

Though this may amuse a smattering of transplants who neither want this city to grow nor evolve into the world-class city it secretly is, a new global Monopoly board is coming and San Francisco is not a part of it. You see, people of the earth get to vote to see which of the 68 world cities will make the final 22 on the global board game. San Francisco, it seems, is not on......

Photograph of the Trump Soho by Riccardo Sinti Gothamist went to the scene of the Trump Soho construction collapse, which left one construction worker dead and others injured (an indirect culprit - Manhattan's hot real estate market, causing rushed construction jobs).Shanghaiist is confused by media reports as to whether Playboy will be available in China during the year of the Olympics.LAist got fugged in an interview with the Go Fug Yourself girls.Torontoist set hearts......

LAist listed a top ten list of sorts: things they hope not to see in Los Angeles in 2008. (one example, pictured above). Shanghaiist was surprised to learn that "godless," "atheist," and "commie" China is soon going to be the world's largest supplier of Bibles! Torontoist picked some of their favorite photos of 2007. Londonist was relieved to hear the fire at the Royal Marsden hospital didn't harm any of the patients even though......

Denied. Democratic fundraiser Norman Hsu - who helped raised cash for Mayor Gavin Newsom, Kamala Harris, Fiona Ma, Hillary Clinton, and the victorious Barack Obama - was sentenced to three years in prison today for defrauding investors of nearly $1 million over 15 years ago. He was ordered to spend a sojourn behind bars after a Ponzi scheme involving latex gloves. This case is separate from a "separate federal complaint ... by the U.S.......

News from the non-Nancy Pelosi side of the San Francisco House of Representatives delegation -- Tom Lantos, the fourteen-term representative for the Sunset, along with northern San Mateo County, has announced that he will not be seeking reelection, because he's been diagnosed with esophageal cancer. Jackie "Jonestown survivor" Speier is considered the early favorite to fill Lantos's seat, and reliable object of fun Leland Yee is reported to be considering a run as well. Lantos,......

Just like the headline says, folks. The SF Zoo will stay shut tomorrow, Thursday, December 27. (And we promise you some tiger-free news shortly. We've run this so far into the ground, it's in China by now.) Getting all-cappy on us, SF Zoo's site shouts out: THE ZOO IS CLOSED THURSDAY, 12/27, OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE VICTIMS OF TUESDAY'S INCIDENTS, AND WHILE A PUBLIC INVESTIGATION CONTINUES. WE ANTICIPATE THAT THE ZOO WILL BE......

The Busan headed out this morning. ...

Vote early, vote often...

Goodbye, Ed Jew's attorney Steven Gruel! The revolving door that is beleaguered former District 4 Supervisor Ed Jew's legal team spins once again, depositing the pugnacious Mr. Gruel on the street and leaving the team's latest addition Stuart Hanlon (hired to replace Bill Fazio in the state criminal case) in charge of all of Ed's legal matters. Gruel, as you may recall, was handling Ed's case on the city ethics charges and the federal racketeering......

Audet & Partners, LLP filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of commercial fishers and crab-based (?) businesses in San Francisco on November 20. Today on their site they claim the following, "Breaking News: Cosco Busan Vessel Arrested." Which? Okay then. We have yet to see footage of the vessel getting cuffed by the fuzz with its shirt off, and we can't imagine it heard its Miranda rights being read, but seeing as how......

-- Oh dead God: "Hearts in San Francisco" returns. Sweet cuddly baby Jesus, help us all. [Curbed SF] -- Prop A passed. And? [BeyondChron] -- Siamese Conjoined twins separated. Pft. Please. Wake us up when they sprout eight limbs. [Chron] -- More Dan Noyes! [The Snitch] -- BRT and subways in Beijing, China. (Have you ever seen a cleaner subway in your entire life? Sob.) [N-Judah Chronicles] -- Crab season hurt? Boo! Tourist season......