The mentally unstable guy who stormed a Corte Madera Bank of America on Monday, waving around a pellet gun, raving about unfair bank practices, and holding nine people hostage for six hours, has been charged with burglary and false imprisonment. more ›

So, a desperate-seeming and possibly mentally unstable Asian dude walked into a Bank of America in Corte Madera around 4 p.m. yesterday waving a gun around and raving about the corruption of international banking systems. The man told customers they were free to leave, and at least one did. The 25-year-old gunman proceeded to take nine people hostage, including three bank employees, for a few hours while he posted various grievances against the bank in the bank's windows. He harmed no one, and threatened no one, and ultimately let all the hostages go. The police confirmed he had some mental health problems but perhaps had not been being treated for them (hi, Tucson), and when the standoff finally ended (after the man was allowed to speak with some bank officials on the phone), the standoff ended and the man was arrested and sent for a psychiatric evaluation. The gun, as it turned out, was a pellet gun. [Larkspur-Corte Madera Patch] more ›

We were super-excited when we got the chance to talk with Alex Ross, the New Yorker's resident classical music critic (and blogger). Ross's writing has profoundly affected the way we think about music and music writing in all its genres and forms, and his twin enthusiasm for new classical music of the 21st century along with his deep love of the profoundly musical Icelandic pixie that is Björk always liven up our weekly periodicals reading list. (Thanks for helping set it up, M.C-!) more ›

(Tony's trips to dangerous countries). more ›

Got your ruching done? Better hope so, because Tim Gunn's coming to town! more ›

Last Saturday, a fight broke out at the "Hyphy High School Bash" at the Marin County Corte Madera Recreation Center. The police raced to the scene upon hearing reports of gunshots and a Golden Gate Transit bus being blocked on Tamalpais Drive by 80 teenagers. They couldn't confirm whether shots had been fired, but someone had sprayed pepper spray into the crowd and around the same time, someone broke into a nearby elementary school. Hilariously, the Marin Independent Journal describes hyphy as "a music and dance expression that grew out of the Bay Area hip-hop scene," and one Corte Madera parent says "It's really ironic. We live in Marin, and I feel safer sending my daughter to San Francisco." Ooooh, not dangerous San Francisco! Hyphy hyphy hyphy hyphy (or, as they call it in Marin, "a music and dance expression"). more ›

-San Francisco is only the 41st most expensive city in the world. -The Parrots of Telegraph Hill get their tree back, still pine for the fjord. more ›

Around the Bay Area, especially with mountain bikers, the name Skeggs is spoken in the hushed, reverent tones usually reserved for a place of worship, which is fitting, because Skeggs is a church of nature that provides sanctuary and solace from the ever-encroaching anxiety of the modern world.

--The US Attorney's office is going to monitor the SF elections, like we're East Timor or Florida or something. more ›

Everyone's thought about it, but this kid went ahead and did it! You kind of have to respect that. Burlingame High was evacuated on Tuesday afternoon when someone set a pile of clothes on fire in a locker in the boys' locker room. The 40 male froshlings and sophomores who had gym that period will all be interrogated. (Obligatory caveat: We're glad no one was hurt, and kids, fire is never the answer.) Customer service really does make a difference! A man who went to the Oakland Workers' Comp office with a gun and a plan to shoot up the place and take hostages, out of frustration with the way they were handling his claim, told the cops that he decided not to go through with it after having a nice conversation with the staff. He was still arrested, though (felon in possession of a gun and entering a building with the intent to commit a crime). ...and doh! A mail delivery service in Corte Madera got a package dropped off with no destination address marked on the front. Following company policy, they opened the package to see if the label was inside. Doh! Big bag of pot! Making matters worse, the sender had carefully put his return address on the package, making it a snap for the local authorities to stop by his place and bust his ass. They don't know if the label fell off or if the sender (heh-heh) forgot to put it on in the first place. more ›

It's like the 49 Mile Drive, only with squealing tires! Around midnight Saturday morning, cops reported to a double shooting on Mission and 18th Street, only to see a Honda peeling away. The cops put on the woo-oooh woo-oooh sirens and set chase, but lost him near Alameda and Utah. Other cops then found him and chased the guy all the way down to SoMA, where the suspect crashed the car at Fourth and Bryant. At that point, a cop tried to grab the guy, but the guy then took off, dragging the cop for a block, and trying to shake the cop off by slamming into various other cars and barricades. The cop managed to get free under a 80 overpass, at which point the car sped off to the Loin, where he ran into five other cars and a cop cruiser. Other cops then joined in, and finally, the suspect crashed for good at Pacific and Webster. Remarkably, no one was seriously hurt, including the two guys that the car driver shot. Dramatic photos here! more ›

Paula Kamen has a headache. more ›

San Francisco's favorite but least read Q&A columnist, the Essefficist, answers a question about where to watch the new Star Wars movie. more ›