It seems CODEPINK, a female-based grassroots pro-peace (and judging by the photographs, anti-conditioner) movement, recently got all up in Condoleezza Rice's face at Capitol Hill. This protester, sporting bloody hands, got a little too close to Condi, shouting "war criminal!" at her before she was pushed away and snapped up by the police. Four other CODEPINK protesters were arrested. ...

Thank goodness the Department of Homeland Security's on top of all the threats to American freedom -- the New York Times today profiles Nalini Ghuman (at right), a British musicologist and assistant professor at Mills College who hasn't been able to get back to Oakland to teach her classes and work on her book about composer Edward Elgar, because Immigration and Customs refuses to let her back in the country. Ghuman is a British citizen......

As promised, the San Francisco Mime Troupe performed in Dolores Park for the public last Wednesday and last weekend. It was the premier of the group's show "Making a Killing," which lampoons the current administration. We dropped by the Sunday performance; the photo above is during a charming ditty where "Condi Rice" and "Dick Cheney" were arguing over who was more popular. ...

The neon sign that was added to the display of crosses near the Lafayette BART station was taken down as people thought it was too disrespectful. What, a neon sign not respectful? It's now back to hand-painted signs. Says Jeff Heaton, one of the organizers of the memorial "we'll keep it somber and low-key and quiet." ...