Those goddamn, dirty, lovable hippies known as the Grateful Dead -- i.e., Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, and Phil Lesh -- reunite tonight in honor of (our future president) Barack Obama. Looking to snare to what Joe Garofoli refers to as, "California's gray-haired ponytail vote," the Dead is backing Obama. Minus, Jerry Garcia, of course, since he is now most literally a dead head. Billed as a one-time-only event, although they got back together briefly......

We've been slightly afraid of Tribe 8 lead singer Lynn Breedlove ever since she crashed into us in a riotgrrl mosh pit, causing us moderate injury -- but that shouldn't stop you from checking out her short film "Godspeed," based on her book about speed freak bike messengers, which is screening next Wednesday, April 11, as part of the Third Annual SF Women's Film Festival! The Women's Film Fest has put together an eclectic group......

To Little Miss Golden Gate Park, princess of the City,

Honey, I'm sick of you and your flat-ass panhandle getting all the attention. You think you're the only park in the whole City of San Francisco? Well listen up greenbeard, 'cause it's time somebody showed you the real San Francisco.

You know that sparkling brilliance that lights up the night sky south of Chavez? That's me GG, and my name is Miss McLaren Park -- Lady McLaren if you're nasty.

- Muni acknowledges that it's not easy getting around on Muni if your disabled. -The 49ers will have a plan ready for a stadium in Santa Clara by April....

-Gavin's staff and political team sure thinks he's running. -Al goes to Berkeley to campaign for proposition 87, the tax the gas prop. ...

They came in peace, they asked to be taken to our leader -- and it looks like our leader is online casino GoldenPalace.com. Remember that awesome picture of the duck with the alien inside? SOLD! to the collectors of awesome Internet marginalia for $9600 on EBay, all to benefit the International Bird Rescue Research Center. GoldenPalace.com's last Bay Area purchase was Jerry Garcia's toilet (subsequently stolen before delivery). Other recent GoldenPalace happenings include their purchase......

You know how GoldenPalace.com is buying everything weird for publicity? Like the grilled cheese sandwich with the Virgin Mary on it, or hiring streakers? (Their list of auctions is some pretty entertaining reading.) Well, they were stymied in their attempt to purchase Jerry Garcia's toilet -- after paying $2550 for the pink-colored throne, it was stolen, along with three other toilets and a bidet, from the current owner's driveway. Golden Palace is offering a $5000 reward for its return. Wonder if Golden Palace staged this whole thing? In San Anselmo, a 16-year-old is so upset about the theft of her bichon frise that her parents have allowed her to stay home from school today. She and her mother were at the DMV applying for her learners' permit, and they'd left the bichon in the car for about 20 minutes. When they came back, someone had opened the door to their Saab (whose locks were broken) and taken the dog. They paid $850 for the dog, which was a present for the daughter's 14th birthday. He's white with brown markings around the eyes, and answers to Napoleon -- if you see him, call the CHP at 415-924-1100 or page Mom at 415-258-5080. And yipes! A car chase that began on 18th and Mission last night raced onto the highway and culminated in a dramatic crash on Treasure Island. The driver repeatedly rammed his car into the cop cars, injuring two officers. Officers then fired at the car, injuring two riders. A third passenger was injured in one of the ramming incidents. ...

If all those medicinal marijuana places are running low in supplies this weekend, it's because this Sunday, the 7th, is Jerry Day. Uh, that being Jerry Garcia, of course, the man who inspired a thousand bong hits. You gotta love a city that has a day in honor of someone who's nickname was Captain Trips, and not because he went on a lot of vacations. In his honor, there will be a concert at the......

The irrepressible Mr. P.J. Corkery asks the question on everyone's mind -- what's on Gavin Newsom's iPod? Well, after some hemming and hawing ("I don't have time to download 99 cent tunes," "this iPod is just like being a mayor -- lots of diverse music!", "the acoustics in my mayor's office are great! I don't like earphones"), Newsom coyly reveals the following:

So I've got Andrea Bocelli ... Sade ... Jerry Garcia, of course ... Emmylou Harris ... Alanis Morissette ... AC/DC ... Prince ... John Mayer ... Gosh, there's a lot of country music here... John Mellencamp ... Linda Ronstadt ... John Denver ... Placido Domingo ... Rascal Flatts. ... Jane's Addiction. Lots of Jane's Addiction. ...

We have to go into the back of our closet for our tie-dye, but if we can locate some by Saturday, the Jerry Garcia show at Art21 in Palo Alto might be worth checking out. Garcia's art is on tour this year and next and Saturday is the last night of local shows. Jerry Garcia and the Dead have a history in Palo Alto and it's expected that the city will declare October 30th "Jerry......