An United Airlines plane headed for San Francisco Airport was evacuated in Denver after authorities got wind of a bomb threat. Yikes! "Carrie Harmon of the Transportation Security Administration, according to Associated Press, said "someone phoned in a bomb threat at about 7:30 a.m. on Thursday" and that "passengers, cargo and baggage were removed for re-screening."

The United Airlines flight, No. 869, was rescheduled and is expected to land at SFO at around 11:19 a.m.

Today's bomb threat comes on the heels of another threat that, on February 24, shut down an entire terminal. The threat in the that case? An elderly woman's oxygen tank TSA mistook for a bomb.

[Sacto Bee]

During yesterday's Time magazine breakfast forum in Denver -- a panel discussion -ishly titled "Hot Shots Breakfast" -- our DA Kamala Harris was a featured guest. On a question regarding public safety, here's what she had to say.

"It's not about rehabilitation. It's about public safety...[w]hat Democrats have to do is understand that Republicans have it right" in framing the debate on public safety.

While we appreciate Harris' "blunt" take on crime, we hope she brings this newfangled perspective on crime fighting to the streets of San Francisco upon her return.

In related news, Slate's Mickey Kaus was unimpressed with Mayor Gavin Newsom during the same breakfast, slamming him as "goofily egomaniacal."

Yeah, that seals it. He's the next Governor of California.

In more pink slip sadness today, (owned by Denver-based MediaNews Group) eliminated 50 jobs. Fifteen newsroom employees and 19 employees from "other parts of the paper" were let go today. Citing a loss of advertising revenue because to the evil Internet, this most recent workforce slashing represents "a cut of about 5 percent" of the over Merc staff.

On the flip side, two editors received promotions: Barbara J. Marshman, associate editor, replaces Stephen E. Wright as the Merc's editorial page editor. (The first woman to hold that title); and deputy business editor Stephen R. Trousdale was rechristened business editor.

Stay strong, print publishing folk. Stay strong.

As we bid adieu to yet another playoff-less football season, SFist gives thanks for the return of "The Wire" to give them something to feel depressed about on Sundays.

Browns 20 49ers 7- This game had the feel of one of those late September baseball games where both teams have their mind elsewhere and the roster is full of names you've never heard of. Anyways, thus ends another lousy season for the Niners as we head to an off-season full of rumors and intrigue. First up is news that one of the people under Nolan-- Scott McCloughan, the VP of player personnel-- will now have Nolan under him as he will be promoted to GM. Smart move or mere chair moving? Is the answer really someone in the organization? And how long will it be before the entire offensive coaching staff gets fired? Today? Tomorrow? Next Thursday

Chargers 30 Raiders 17- As the Raiders' season was pretty much over, this game was rather meaningless but still rather large as it stands as the first, official, start of JaMarcus. And how was he? Other than one big play to Jerry Porter, he didn't look that hot but he wasn't really allowed to do much during the game But man, he is big. Capital B-I-G, BIG. Watching him dink and dunk all game was like watching some High School student playing a bunch of Middle School kids and trying to take it easy on them.

Regardless, there's one team in the Bay Area that has a good outlook on life these days and the colors ain't scarlet and gold.

Warriors 105 Nuggets 95- The Dubs began their run-through their peers in the Western Conference by getting sweet revenge on Denver for last Friday's loss.

Congratulations, Oakland (29th), Fremont (32nd), and San Francisco (34th) -- you made it on the top 50 drunkest cities in the U.S. list. At least, according to the December issue of the body dysmorphia-inducing rag Men's Health Magazine. The rankings are based on alcohol-related liver deaths, "binge drinking data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention," FBI-culled drunk driving arrest numbers, death-related auto accidents that involved booze, and "grades given to cities by Mothers Against Drunk Driving for their efforts to curb excessive drinking." Cheers, everyone.

What's hysterical, though, according to the SJ Merc, is Fremont Police Detective Bill Veteran's shock and awe at discovering his pretty little town isn't as virginal as he believed. Shaking his in disbelief with a tear falling down his rough cheek, or maybe not, he says, "I don't believe it ... we don't have that many bars and our only large nightclub isn't a problem." Fremont Mayor Bob Wasserman then chimes in to say that the "study's authors 'were probably smoking something when they wrote that.'" To which we say, admitting your city has a problem is the first step. We'll get through this together, Mayor Wasserman. Shhh, it's OK.

Besides, wouldn't you drink into dull stupors if you had to live in Fremont? Of course you would. But on the brighter side, at least the glossy thinks that Fremont is the healthiest city for men. Huh. Go figure.

And the drunkest of them all, you ask? Denver grabbed the number one spot, with Anchorage, Alaska coming in at a close number two.

Not three feet from our chair was a woman lying on the floor, passed out with blood oozing from the back of her head. Janet, who was traveling to Canada, had passed out, and on her way down hit the back of her head on the corner of the beverage cart. Ouch! When her husband came to see what was going on, Janet had regained consciousness and felt ready to try to stand up. Unfortunately, as Janet was standing up, she fainted again, this time hitting her elbow on said beverage cart.

The flight attendants were freaking out a little, understandably, but did a very nice job calming everyone else on the plane. As the inevitable announcement was made over the loudspeaker ("If there are any doctors or nurses on board...") we expected at least half a dozen medical personnel to flock to the back of the plane. But alas, the sound of crickets could be heard as we soared thousands of feet above the ground.

After staunching out the Arizona Cardinals last week, the Niners head to St. Louis to try to get ahead at the expense of the reeling Rams and bolt further ahead in the race for the NFC West.

* San Francisco vs. St. Louis
Sunday, September 16, 2007. 10:00 AM, PST.
Week 02
The Battle Of Overcoming

STL has been hit hard by the injury bug. Their players've been dropping by the wayside as quickly as our government's rationales for the Iraq war! The Rams already lost their best player, all-world offensive line cornerstone Orlando Pace, for the year with a shoulder injury. WR Torry Holt's knee is bothering him, OLB Pisa Tinoisamoa's ankle is tweaked, WR Issac Bruce is old, and CB Tye Hill just broke a bone in his back during practice. Broke his back. Yiii.

Needless to say, this is a team that the even the sluggish 49er team from the first three-quarters of the week 1 game against Arizona might match up favorable against. The Rams will only be dressing three cornerbacks for this game fer-pete's-sake!

But here's where things become even darker for the Rams' chances: RB Frank Gore's mother Liz passed away this week. She was the guiding light in his life, and the strong matriarch of his family. Knowing Frank's ferocious drive to do his best on the field for sake of his team and his family and those who believe in him, we fear for those who dare to stand in his path this Sunday.

Next up on your American Football Spectacular: The Oakland Raiders go to the mile-high city of Denver where a most-evil blocking scheme lurks, built to break men's hearts, knees, and fantasy teams...

There are no less than three fantastic music festivals all taking place over the weekend of September 14-16. What gives? And how do we choose? Since we live in the bay area, perhaps our decision has been made for us: we're heading to the inaugural Treasure Island Music Festival presented by the fine folks at Noise Pop and Another Planet. The two day festival features 14 bands each day on two stages with mostly hip hop and electronica on Saturday (Theivery Corporation, DJ Shadow & Cut Chemist, M.I.A.) and a great lineup of indie rock on Sunday (Modest Mouse, Built To Spill, Clap Your Hands). And it all takes place on Treasure Island, that scrap of land you've seen a thousand times but likely have never set foot on. Getting there is sure to be an adventure! Check out the full lineup and get your tickets. We've got a pair of tickets for one lucky winner to go to one day of the Treasure Island Music Festival. (We're not sure which date yet but will update this post as soon as we hear back from our contact! But both days are really good so you can't go wrong. Contest ends 8/22; winner will be notified via email.)

So back to our rant: during that same weekend, the three-day Austin City Limits Music Festival is happening in Austin with a lineup that includes Bob Dylan, Bjork, The White Stripes and Arcade Fire. And just this morning we read about the Monolith Festival at Red Rocks Amphitheatre near Denver, Colorado, that also boasts a great lineup including The Flaming Lips, The Decemberists, and some smaller bands we'd love to see like Forget Cassettes. One of our favorite bands of all time, Spoon, has the right idea: they're somehow managing to play all three festivals. Normally we'd be a little worried about the band being jetlagged by the time they headline for us that Sunday night, but these guys are professionals. They'll deliver.

On to this week's show recommendations. Start tonight early by heading to the Burn My Eyes 2 Rock Poster Show at 12 Galaxies featuring twelve rock poster artists exhibiting and selling their work. Later on Popscene presents Junior Senior and Switches at 330 Ritch. On Friday, KPIG presents the legend himself Alejandro Escovedo at Great American with opener Sonny Smith. The Go, bellavista and White Savage are at Bottom of the Hill and over at Slim's you can see Detroit Cobras with Dan Sartain and The Willowz. On Saturday, Birdmonster pack Cafe Du Nord with Eulogies and DJ Ted from BAGeL Radio.

Click the link below for more show recommendations, videos and rants.

This morning, SFO crews found a dead body lodged in the wheel well of the nose of a United plane coming in from Shanghai. It might have been a stowaway.

A woman was arraigned in Denver yesterday, after getting arrested on Monday for beating her kids on a Frontier Air flight that took off from SFO. Witnesses report that she seemed intoxicated on the flight, was yelling and hitting the kids, and then threw a drink at a flight attendant and then followed the attendant into the aisle while yelling and pointing. This lady's got our vote for the SF Board of Supes!

And we've got a new airline flying in! Starting today, you can start buying tickets on Virgin Air from SFO to LAX (starting at $44) or JFK (starting at $139). Flights to Dulles and Vegas are forthcoming.

iously, how can this be so? The Raiders -- owners of the worst record in the NFL last season at 2-14 -- have been saddled with the most difficult schedule in 2007? Huh-whaah?!

Aye, 'tis true. Along with AFS correspondent DJ Burrito's beloved Buffalo Bills, the 2007 Raiders are calendared to face franchises that had a combined winning percent of .539 in 2006.

Let's explain how this came to be. Here is how NFL schedules are generated since the 2002 season's re-alignment. Steady now:

* Home and away against its three division opponents (6 games).
* The four teams from another division within its conference on a rotating three-year cycle (4 games).
* The four teams from a division in the other conference on a rotating four-year cycle (4 games).
* Two intraconference games based on the previous year's standings (2 games). These games will match a first-place team against the first-place teams in the two same-conference divisions the team is not scheduled to play that season. The second-place, third-place, and fourth-place teams in a conference will be matched in the same way each year.

Awrioght-then. First off, the other three teams in the AFC West division (SD, KC, DEN) are either good or better-than-good. San Diego had the best record in the NFL last season at 14-2. Both Denver and AFS correspondent Kyle's Kansas City Chiefs each went 9-7.

The two divisions that the Raiders draw in 2007 are the AFC South (IND, JAC, TEN, HOU) and the "Black And Blue" NFC North (CHI, GB, MIN, DET). There are some particularly powerful teams in there. Da Bearsss had the best record in the NFC with Lovie's keen Cover Two D. SFist Eve's Indianapolis Colts rode their precision one-back offensive scheme all the way to Super Bowl XLI.

Though the AFC South's Titans and Jaguars both finished at .500 in 2006, both squads fall squarely under the label of fiery teams that no one wants to see on their slate in 2007: the Jags because of their punishing style of play in all aspects of the game, and the Titans for the undefendable QB Vince "he-just-wins-games" Young.

The two intraconference last-place teams are the still-unformed Cleveland Browns, and the underperforming Miami Dolphins -- both of which could beat the Raiders. In fact the Browns did beat the Raiders in 2006.

Yeah, this Raider season ain't shaping up to be a whole lot of fun. But we're not going to sugar-coat it for you. And we're not even to the draft yet. Damn you, NFL, damn you.

Just as we did with the 49ers, after the jump we have analysis, forecasting, and a simplified text version of the Raiders' 2007 schedule suitable for wallet or wall. Just copy, paste, print, and grouse.

* Photo of Al Davis surrounded by sword-wielding squirrels via blog.nbx.com. No, we have no idea. Yes, we had to use it.