Fascist Imperial Dogs 1 - Tree Loving Hippies 0- After all that protesting and dancing and carrot juice drinking, the Berkeley City Council chickened out and said they erred in passing that January resolution that disinvited a Marine recruiting station and called them "unwelcome intruders." In that resolution, they also allowed Code Pink permission to blast all sorts of things at the station, gave them a designated parking space in front of it, and permission to protest on Wednesdays from noon to 4 p.m. Why Wednesday? Because it’s Hump Day! They did, however, refuse to issue an apology and used part of their mea culpa to lash out at the Bush administration and the war. This didn't satisfy some conservatives as Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina introduced the "Semper Fi Act" which would redirect money to UC Berkeley and give it to the Southern Heritage Coalition so they can sew more flags with the Confederate flag in them....

The Washbag shuts its doors for good. (But didn't they, like, invent drinking? Or something like that?) [Culture Blog] Beware of the guerilla knife sharpener. [Curbed] Tetris cookies are good cookies. [The Snitch] FasTrak violators cost the Metropolitan Transportation Commission $3.5million. For shame. [Examiner] SF is oh so similar to Second Life. [ValleyWag] "O-N-E-L-E-S-S, I wanna be one less, one less." [SFBG] The real Ron Paul. Ick. [IKnowWhatImDoing] Image credit goes to artist Guy......

Top alt-flick cinema houses. [Gridskipper] Clinton takes it in New Hampshire. [Oakland Tribune]Rocchi on Chinatown vis-à-vis There Will Be Blood. (An aside: Any specific details about Faye Dunaway's behavior on the set of the former would be most appreciated. Just how difficult was she?) [Culture Blog]Newsom inaugurated. [The Snitch] Zoo Eviction? Is the question. [Curbed] Mike Martz joins the 49ers. [SFGate]Fresh, hot Tablehopper. (We like to be naughty and read it while eating a......

Speaking of animal cruelty, the third chocolate bunny murder almost brought us to tears. Of laughter, sorrow, or both we're still not sure. This film, above, is described as "an episode from the preschool art project 'Big Art For Little People', made by Lernert Engelberts en Sander Plug. The series [was] produced by Cut-n-Paste for KRO Youth, in association with Dutch Culture Fund." Those poor Dutch preschoolers. Exposing kids to chocolaty zoosadism at such......

-- Those rectangular glassy lofts on Folsom and Fourth Streets are, in fact, award-winning rectangular glassy lofts. Also, love the windows. [Curbed] -- What to do in SF when it pours. [Gridskipper] -- Democrats having a spine? What a novel idea! [BeyondChron] -- Behold! Tinkerman's top 10 musical experiences and releases of 2007. [SFBG] -- Matt Gonzalez caught shopping at Community Thrift on Valencia. Dude, we also l-o-v-e Community Thrift! Why, it's where we......

New feature alert, folks! Ever want to know more about your local library? Or anything about libraries of the world. The art of receiving a masters in library sciences? Or why people use the Main Library bathroom as their own personal, um, spa? Well, send us your bibliotech-y questions. We've got a real-life librarian who will answer your many queries about documentation, fact-finding, library culture, annals, stacks, record-keeping, donations, cruising, Internet usage etiquette at......

Sure Jager makes things all surreal, tequila makes you do things you normally wouldn't do, and whiskey makes things all sh---kicking but if you really want something that brings the crazy, there's absinthe. Absinthe was a drink popular at the turn of the last century but was banned supposedly for "making people insane" and by insane we mean too fin de siècle, you know-- into impressionism, dressing colorfully, chopping of one of their ears, and being gay. But now it's making a comeback, thanks to a heroic lawyer who got the prohibition in the U.S. revoked and thanks to that lawyer, a distillery in Alameda is going to start making some. Hell, if people thought they needed it to make it through the turn of the last century how do they expect us to make it through this turn of the century?...

-- Today is Yelp Day. How did you celebrate? Yeah, same here. (With all due respect to Yelp, Newsom will declare anything _____ Day these days, won't he?) [Eater SF] -- Ooooh! Those apartments near the Mint and Mezzanine. We want one. [Curbed SF] -- Homeless vets. [BeyondChron] -- Freight & Salvage wins $1.161 million? Jesus. [SFBG] -- Beth Spotswood totally likes Donnie Wahlberg. [Culture Blog] -- SF's EIR, bicyclists, and you. [Left in......

First off, we are not gamers. Our Mom decided, at a very young age, that gaming was evil and for the lazy. (Wtf! Right?) We've tried several times to get into it but it seems now that everyone can kick our ass. We hate losing, so we refrain to play but really it's all our Mom's fault. Damn you, parents. Now that we have that out of the way, gaming has become a huge......

Did you hear? Surfer, skateboarder, artist, and occasional Paul Frank designer Thomas Campbell has a new show. This one, it seems, highlights his brand-spanking new work, which he describes as "surf-centric doodles, sculpture, photos, and sewn stuff." Raised as an Orange County "punk," he started out on the scene as part of the "bicoastal movement of street-smart artists who take their cues from underground culture." His rustically genuine work isn't featured here in SF......

-- Why, it's our very own SFist Rita kicking it in the comfy confines (and breaking down the latest season of Project Runway) over at SFGate. Awesome. [Culture Blog] -- Japantown's J-Pop Center, well, pops. [Curbed SF] -- And look! It's your editor interviewed by SF Weekly. We don't come off as mildly-retarded as we did during the interview. Woo hoo! [The Snitch] -- Which '80s night is the best night? [Gridskipper] -- Yoshi's......

The loss of Simone in last week's episode of "Project Runway" leaves us with one local left to root for. (Although as Rita pointed out in her recap of the show, Jack went to U.C. Berkeley, so that kind of counts. But we'll see how well Chris does before we set our sights on him...) At the beginning of the episode we were put through the always boring selection-of-the-models ritual. This could be a......

Sob. Dick Wilson (AKA Mr. Whipple) died today at 91. His message to the world? Simply this, "please, don't squeeze the Charmin." Born Riccardo DiGuglielmo, Wilson changed his name while working as an actor in efforts to avoid typecasting as an Italian-American. Little did he know that he would be typecast as America's favorite, um, cleanup enthusiast. Emigrating to the U.S. from England as wee lad, he went on to star in over 500......

Phillyist prepared to party by doing the hustle, lighting the lights, shopping up a storm, and... visiting Khrushchev? LAist continues to cover the Hollywood Writers Strike with visiting guest "strikers" such as KT Tunstall and Presidential candidate John Edwards. To celebrate Veteran's Day, they visited a Civil War reenactment and to celebrate Geography Week, they asked all the Los Angeles City Councilmembers about the districts they represent finding that LA's 180+ official neighborhoods are......

-- Comedy, Darling: Sleepover!: Mary Van Note hosts a new monthly underground talk and comedy show, where the stand-up is done in pajamas. Cute! Breaking the hymen of this monthly party is gangbang of hardcore comedic talent, featuring Brent Weinbach, Richard Kiss, Candy Churilla, Chris Garcia, and musical guest Jethro Jeremiah. The funny startsd at 8 p.m. at Edinburgh Castle; $8. -- M.I.A.: "Get crackin' get get crackin'/Get crackin' get get crackin'" [horny horns].......

And how might you observe Guy Fawkes Night here in San Francisco? Here are our suggestions:...

-- Carmen Jones: Based off of Georges Bizet's famous French opera Carmen, the adaptation was made into a successful Broadway musical, and then a '50s film staring Dorothy Dandridge, Harry Belafonte, and Pearl Bailey. Now, see it again on stage right here in SF. The curtain goes up tonight at the African-American Art & Culture Complex (762 Fulton); $15. -- The Halloween Friday Night Skate: Rollerskate (or blade) in your Halloween costume without breaking......

-- Ross Mirkarimi, sole supe against Clear Channel. [SFBG] -- Out-of-town drug dealers bring their goofballs and china white to SF. [Examiner] -- Stupid TV can't ever get us right, or so says the Streets of San Fauxcisco. [Culture Blog] -- San Jose kills cigarette smoking at city parks. [SJ Merc] -- SF is numero uno according to Conde Nast Traveller. [The Snitch] -- And yet we can't crack the top-ten as a prime......

"A must for music lovers, musical comedy lovers, and in fact lovers of any sort," claims the Center for Sex & Culture about tonight's "Sex & Song". And, really, don't they deserve your love for one night? After all, they're trying to help you, um, love better. So head over to SOMA tonight for a show featuring some of your favorite sex-based music acts from around the Bay Area. Not only will there be......

Bundles & Passages Series: Leaving Shanghai, 2006 After living in Shanghai for several years, 27-year-old Bay Area artist Aliza Cohen returns home to boast her new series, Bundles & Passages, featuring work that reflects her feelings of time-honored culture shock while living abroad. She describes her paintings and drawings as a "deep exploration of my experiences traveling throughout China and Southeast Asia, as well as my recent return to San Francisco...this collection of artwork......

Photo of people smoking in the park...

Last week's winner, the Bay Guardian. Tim Redmond says the Navy is the gayest armed services branch. Well, sure. Cars are worse than homeless people, says a letter writer. Halloween will suuuuuck. A former director of Intersection for the Arts died in a car crash. The new crackdown on homelessness, and why aren't people more upset? Cover article: Our pals at SwapSF make the cover! About the whole freetail trend! Yay SwapSF! (and other freegans!)......

Hey, do you like to relieve yourself in public? If so, "urine" luck! The golden-shower-loving perverts at the Department of Public Works just denied the dangerous lunatics calling themselves Citizens for Halloween a permit for portable toilets, so you're going to have to make do with the neighbors' bushes, local storefronts, and taxis. Or you could just dress up as Louis Leakey and tell people it's all part of the costume. Apparently you can't......

Someone told us a story of a famous pianist who believed in bringing culture to the people, and went to a factory in Italy to give a lecture in front of a piano. He started to talk about Schoenberg, and after a few minutes, a voice rose from the audience: "Shut up, and play!" Ok, he said, and sat down at the piano, playing the Schoenberg piece. The voice rose again: "Rather, talk!" András......

-- Some very sad news: former SFist editor, writer, and gem of an all-around guy, Jeremy Nisen, switched addresses for now. Aw. But never fear, you can still catch his brilliance over at Curbed. Yay! [Curbed SF] -- We get introduced to a new KTVU personality heading to the Bay Area. Because you just can't stop on-air talent. Ever. [Culture Blog] -- AM shooting in the TL takes the life of teenager. [Examiner] --......

Marina Cougar brought to light this group today, the Mrs. Robinson Society (its overwrought site is a must!) whose are a "movable social club and think tank for sophisticated, vibrant, fully evolved ladies of a certain ilk who enjoy openly sharing progressive ideas about art, culture, and personal relationships." And "although extramarital flings with young men...are not necessarily on the agenda," said 7x7, such behavior seems to be the group's main inspiration. Wikipedia goes......

Due to yesterday's Day Around the Bay, SFist received the following, like, totally awesome request today. It touches on an issue that will one day have Northern Californians and Southern Californians battling it out in a blood-soaked, brutal massacre to the end: using the article "the" before freeway numbers. I have been enjoying SFist. Thanks for the neat articles, links, etc. As a native San Franciscan, one of the things that I would like......

Oh what's that you say? You enjoy the company of sweaty fisters, and you enjoy a spot of Earl Grey (hot)? Well today's your lucky day, and by "today" we mean "tomorrow." We were alerted to an alternative-alternative picnic happening at the Folsom Street Fair via the Finch Mob, a terrifying local gang of drug addicts. Apparently some folks are going to dress up real nice, and plop themselves down to have a fancy-dress......

Last week's winner, the San Jose Metro. Alas! They haven't updated their site for this week yet, and we didn't manage to snag a hard copy of the paper, so they'll have to forfeit in the Weekly of the Week contest for the week. Next up, let's call it for the SF Weekly. Ephraim the Track Bike is back! And he mentions us! We love you, Ephraim the Track Bike! Did Ed Jew's people spearhead......

> -- Today's tale about Richmond's campers for peace. [Oakland Tribune] -- Ahmad Rahimi, a 16-year-old Hayward teen, killed by an Amtrak train. [Chron] -- Same-sex marriage stuff. [Examiner] -- Harvey Milk Club gives it up for Mecke. [BeyondChron] -- Getting all crankypants over Jew's real replacement. [SFBG] -- Stiletto stabbers receive a dose of vigilantism over the Internets. Watch out, ladies! [The Snitch] -- Spotswood on other possible Jew replacements. [Culture Blog] -- Case......