Once again proving that the Beard might just be the coolest person on the planet, Deadspin tips us off that Baron Davis has filmed a commercial for Reebok consisting of him riding around on roller skates to the music of New Edition's "Cool it Now." ...

Good news! The FTA says that building a Central Subway would be a great idea. The FTA, whose local website hasn't been updated in about a year, evaluated project justification, mobilitiy improvements, and land use; and they gave the project a "medium-high" to "high" rating in those categories. They're also supposed to rate alternatives analysis and local financial commitment, but those criteria aren't mentioned in Muni's chipper press release. Once category that doesn't appear......

Bashing Gavin's plans to pay for his staff members (and lobbyists) from the MTA budget isn't just something us local folks can do. It's something everyone can do! Like a U.S. Senator. A Republican Senator. From Oklahoma. Wha?...

And speaking of l'herb. Somehow, we thought San Francisco would be the first one to sport these dispensers, but LA has beat us to the punch: two marijuana vending machines will be available for use starting Monday at different locations. Yes, Mary Jane is now available via vending machine, but just how many hoops will you have to jump through to get at her? First, you must have a medical marijuana prescription. Next, you will......

It nice to see that the farming and ranching traditions of Livermore's past live on to this day. You see, seven men were nabbed this past Sunday in connection with a cockfighting ring on the 4000 block of North Livermore Avenue. Ick. Busted while a fowl fight was in progress, officers arrested three gentlemen from Alameda, two blokes from Livermore, one from San Jose, and another from Las Vegas. Police officers also uncovered "300......

There was no sign of Mark "Cutback" Davis or Bob "Jungle Death" Gerard in the waves off Pillar Point on Saturday, but 24 of the world's ballsiest surfers were there to test their mettle against the huge, angry swell that is the Mavericks break. When the foam cleared and the judges scorecards were tallied, it was 24-year-old Greg Long from San Clemente, SoCal that ended up taking home the title of Mavericks Big Wave champion for 2008.

Yes, by popular demand, San Francisco Film Society's SF360 Film will once again bring you the one, the only, "Trapped in a Closet" sing-along, the awesomest sing-along this side of the Buffy "Once More With Feeling" sing-along (sing it everyone: "Bunnies aren't just cute like everybody supposes/They've got them hoppy legs and twitchy little noses...") The show will be Friday, January 25, at 7:00 pm at Mezzanine....

We're sure you've read, by now, Pitchfork's or Paste's, "Best Albums of 2007" lists. Now we could get all "official" and post a similar list to Austinist's Top 15 (which we agree pretty heavily with) but we didn't want to type the same list and publish it again; we're going to try something a bit different. Now, at Sfist we use the collective and most sacred "we", but this time, this is strictly mine. I......

SFist interviews Kenneth Ryan, Prop Master of the San Francisco Ballet...

Although her contract ends in 2009, former SF Mayoral candidate and current San Francisco Public Utilities Commission chief Susan Leal might get the ax, according to Cecilia M. Vega over at the Chronicle. Her removal could kickoff a bloodbath of staff cuts by Newsom. And although her dismissal would need approval by committee, this seems like a done deal. According to the article: Leal received a telephone call Friday evening from Newsom's chief of......

The legendary Cafe Flore might find its way to the obit page of the B.A.R. soon. Why? Because if it doesn't "get permission to have the option to serve food 24 hrs a day, to have the option to have amplified entertainment to allow a background DJ," or to get the chance to serve booze until 2 am, the place might zip up and never call again according to SaveCafeFlore. Noes! Look, Cafe Flore......

SFist Grace checks out a sneak peek of the new P.T. Anderson movie, There Will Be Blood. There will also be: greed, husksterism, rage, isolation and open-handed brawls. The Castro Theatre recently hosted a sneak preview of this film, which is slated for limited release in mid-December. Based on Upton Sinclair's 1927 novel Oil!, Anderson's latest film features Daniel Day-Lewis as David Plainview, an unpredictably violent and spiritually aimless oil-baron-in-the-making. Shot in the desolate......

UPDATE: Oh man! How could we have missed this one? There's also going to be a Falun Gong march! We're sick and tired of trying to figure out whether we want to make fun of the pro-FG crowd or the anti-FG crowd -- oh, they're oppressed; but wait, their leader said nasty things about gays; and then there's that weird Epoch Times newspaper that they're involved with -- so we leave the thankless task......

In addition to the "Thriller" dance record-breaking attempt at Dolores Park, Saturday's Antiwar march, starting at Civic Center at 11 a.m., will end up smack-dab at the same recreational area. Once there, the "Fall Out Against the War" marchers (another worldwide event happening on the same day) will stage a (symbolic) die-in "to bring home the 2 million Iraqis who have died, the 500,000 who are now refugees, and the nearly 4,000 U.S. soldiers who have died for an occupation that only benefits weapons manufacturers and oil corporations." ...

Hey, remember that Question Time thingy? You know, that non-binding measure that voters passed which called for Gavin to appear in front of the Board of Supes and answer questions thrown his way while the rest of us get to kick back and watch the fun? Well, if you remember, Gavin kind of refused to do it and instead staged fake Question Time, "Town Hall" meetings throughout the city and wound up killing any sort of conflict over the issue by basically boring everyone to death. Even the chickens got bored and stopped attending. ...

Once again, we would like to take a brief moment to thank this week's advertisers on SFist. Sarah Silverman Program, who has new episodes starting in October. Cazadores, because after a long week, we need a drink. Stylized Sculpture, starting October 12th at the Asian Art Museum. Walk for Hope, in San Francisco on October 14th. The Darjeeling Limited, a "spiritual quest" starting tomorrow. AMEX SF Dish, which can help you save at your favorite......

-- Bachelorette, 34: Oh the manic behavior of being on your 30s and still single. Check out Kara Herold's personal film about mothers, daughters, marriage, and being single. Starts at 8:30 p.m at Other Cinema at Artists' Television Access (ATA), 992 Valencia. -- Diplo: Edgewater-born electronic genius (and the one who introduced MIA to the US) pumps out his work all over the dance floor along with Switch, Eric Sebastian, and Vin Sol at......

Each Tuesday we will feature new music that should (or whatever) be on your radar. Standouts: 1. Hard-Fi - Once Upon A Time in the West: They have already conquered the #1 spot on the UK Billboards - now let's see if they can do the same here in the U.S. The popular first single, "Suburban Knights" is a perfect sing-a-long with its memorable chorus and orchestrated strings. After one listen, it might hook you.......

Question: Innes Ave. is in which area of San Francisco? A) Hunters Point: San Francisco’s notorious waterfront/hilltop ghetto, adjacent to a naval shipyard-cum-Superfund site. B) India Basin: Hardscrabble home to industrial businesses galore. C) India Cove: Cozy-sounding name marketed by area developers. D) Hunters Point / India Basin Historic District: Once “India Cove” takes root, the little brown “Historic District” signs won’t be far behind. E) All of the above. Answer: E, or at least that’s what we think. Few San Francisco streets rival the 800 block of Innes Ave. between Arelious Walker and Griffith for wide-ranging Blocker fodder. The immutable racket of welding equipment and other power tools punctures the Monday afternoon air out here along the shores of the bay. The day’s action at Zebra Awning and Nueva Castilla Metal Fabrication is in full noisy swing. Protective eye goggles are often part of the work uniform along this part of Innes - and on Sundays, so is prayer: At the eastern end of the stretch of small warehouses stands MarketPlace Fellowship. It’s an unlikely spot for a place of worship, but no less likely than one for a castle-turned-brewery-turned-studio. And speak of the devil, that’s the old Albion Ale & Porter Brewery behind the ivy-lined walls and iron gate at 881 Innes, across the street. The ornate, 137-year-old stone structure – updated in the 1930s after years of Prohibition-inflicted neglect – is now a private home, with space rented out to working artists. A peek through the Wonka-reminiscent gate reveals a lavishly landscaped front area that looks more South Yorkshire than southeast San Francisco. We have it on good authority that invitation-only parties occur here on occasion, oompa loompas and rivers of century-old beer be damned....

Walking up Sanchez Street on our way to the Noe Valley Ministry, we passed by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglová (a.k.a. The Swell Season) strolling smilingly toward 24th Street, not a care in the world. They didn't look like two musicians preparing for a concert and they certainly didn't give off the air of being the stars of Once, a truly incredible film that's currently playing in theaters. They were enjoying each other and the......

Once a month we're going to start giving you a crafty idea for what to do with the previous month's fast pass. We're calling it '"Muni Makeover," but we're totally open to a title change, so let us know if you have any suggestions. Also, we know lots of people who have done clever things with old BART tickets, fast passes, and bus transfers. If you're one of them, send pictures of your projects......

SFist interviews David Hyman founder of MOG, and online music community. ...

In the first past of our Very Special Ask a Muni Driver, our driver discussed what driving the lines are like. Today, we discuss two issues that always makes us wonder-- what do drivers do if they need to go the bathroom and just how boring is it to constantly drive the same route everyday for eight hours? ...

Here's todays sports news...

Friend of SFist Charlie Anders reminds us that her nifty and unusual spoken-word group, Writers With Drinks, will be experiencing yet another stupendous explosion of literary greatness this Saturday, the 9th, from 7:30 to 9:30 at The Make Out Room. Presenters include: - Judy Budnitz, author of Nice Big American Baby and If I've Told You Once - Clifford Chase, author of Winkie - Sesshu Foster, author of Atomik Aztex - Anthony McCann, poet......

Here's todays sports news...

It's another music giveaway bonanza this week! First up is a prize pack from Sea Wolf. They've been touring with Silversun Pickups (see a few SSPU members in the video for "You're A Wolf"), but they're a far more mellow outfit: Alex Church's vocals and melodies are gentle, strummy and soothing. Sea Wolf open for Devotchka on Friday night at the Grand Ballroom Bimbo's, and we have a pair of tickets for the winner......

If good web design gets you all weak in the knees, take a look at the SFCTA's new website. (The SFCTA is like the MTA's little cousin; they handle interesting transit projects rather than the big day-to-day stuff.) It's all orange and pretty and infinitely easier to use than the old version. Meeting agendas! Pedestrian safety maps! Geary committees! It's all right there. (Although friendlier URLs would be nice.) Compare these delightfully uniform navigation......

SFist Wendy's favorite SFIFF film fest movie yet! It doesn’t get any better than this. Really. We headed to the Clay Sunday night, very relaxed and content as it was, having spent one of the most beautiful days ever up at Stinson Beach (never mind all the flies, anyone know what the story was with those flies!?), and now happily anticipating the latest SFIFF romance Once, featuring Glen Hansard, the lead singer of the......

Improbably, almost impossibly, the Golden State Warriors' dream season continues tonight with game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal matchup with the Utah Jazz. The Warriors are into the semis by virtue of their historic six-game stunner over the top-seeded Dallas Mavericks; the Jazz eeked out a game 7 road win over the Houston Rockets.

The Jazz are the fourth seed in the Western Conference, but in our minds, its the Dubs that enter this series as the favorites. The Jazz are undoubtedly mentally and physically drained after their game 7 thriller on Saturday, while the Warriors are riding a wave of emotion that shows no sign of dissipating.