KQED offers up this report, embedded below, about the National Conference on Volunteering and Service currently happening at the Moscone Center. The conference almost got canceled, due to the slashing of non-profit budgets across the country, but because of the "compassion boom" described by the spokeswoman here, Nicola Goren, and the push for volunteerism by the Obama White House. So far there's been a good turn out, with over 5,000 attendees the first day. So, if you happen to be funemployed, consider donating some of your otherwise misspent time to a good cause, huh? more ›

The 2009 Video Game Developers Conference kicked off today, and so the city is more filled than usual with the designers and programmers who bring you everything from Grand Theft Auto to iPhone Tetris. The economy is expected to impact travel budgets and bring attendance in perhaps just under last year's, at around 18,000. Workshops on the first day included several related to creating games for the iPhone and iPod Touch. The video game industry has seen consistent year-over-year growth ($21 billion in 2008) so expect to see the hotel bars and downtown restaurants chock full of gaming geeks. more ›