BeyondChron has a civil point/counter-point debate going on about Yoshi's SF, which opens its doors today. But let's go back a bit, shall we? If you didn't know, San Francisco has the most cheery pockmark on its record: the "Negro removal" period. During this time historic buildings were torn down and black Western Addition residents were shooed out of the city. A movement that "never succeeded in driving all blacks from the Fillmore," but......

Don't forget it's still Carnaval! But you can check out the following events today too. --Free opera in Dolores Park! 2 p.m., with a number of singers singing various operatic greatest hits. (YouTube clip from last year's performance, we think.) --The youth dancers of the City Ballet School perform "Carnival of the Animals" at the Cowell Theater at Fort Mason, at 2 p.m. $23.50. --A night of free Asian-American comedy at the GlasKat. 7......

Clap your hands say Wednesday! Tonight: Have a mellow hump day in that interregnum between Christmas and New Year's and check out the Mission-area Community Music Center's jazz clinic performance at the Savanna Jazz Club on Mission between 25th and 26th Streets at 7:30. Thursday: After trying and failing to return to Virgin that horrendous joke CD you won in the office Christmas pool ("come on! It's still shrink-wrapped!"), stop by Union Square and watch the Bill Graham menorah get the fifth candle lit at 5 p.m. Friday: Well, no one's going to try and swallow an alligator here or anything, but the Academy of Sciences will be conducting its weekly snake feedings at the Steinhart Aquarium today. Most of the snakes will be fed humanely-euthanized mice and rats, but the Burmese whipsnakes will be fed fish. Feedings start at 2, and we're guessing no, they will not allow you to wear a python like Britney Spears either. Don't forget the Academy of Sciences has temporarily moved to SoMA. Picture of Ned McAllister with a snake from the Academy of Sciences webpage...