A group of people having a bonfire at Ocean Beach early this morning--in this weather?--came across the body of a dead man, which they found above the high tide line across from the Beach Chalet and Golden Gate Park. Of average height with no identification or clothes, "U.S. Park Police are investigating the death, but have few leads." The group had their fire lit outside the designated area...and were asked by police a little......

The sands of Marin and San Mateo have officially reopened to the public. (We recommend hitting the beach in the fall. There's something luxurious about walking on the beach, bundled up in winter clothing.) What's more, 50 wild birds have been cleaned up and released at Pillar Point Yacht Harbor at Half Moon Bay. But what's worse, "the spill has cost the U.S. government $1.4 million, money spent on operations by the Coast Guard,......

On Monday, three people are each making their respective 500th open-water swim to Alcatraz and back. Swimming's hard! And the water's cold! And they won't be wearing wet suits. But these three guys have obviously had few problems doing it again and again, and each have significant open-water swimming accomplishments to boast of....

In 1938, Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard started a company from a garage in Palo Alto. Hewlett-Packard is now a household name, a tech giant, and a Silicon Valley fixture. And now the place that started it all has been given a "Historic Place" designation by the National Park Service....

Every now and then, when the sand moves, you can see the remnants of shipwrecks on the shore of Ocean Beach -- and yesterday, folks enjoying the warm weather at low tide caught a glimpse of the remains of the King Philip clipper ship. A pirate ship? A tragic capsizing? What's the word? Well, the King Philip sailed in the mid 1800s, and primarily carried guano or lumber. On its final voyage, it (she? Is......

It's looking like a plan is afoot (or in this case apaw-- thank you, we'll be here all night) to make Ocean Beach change hands from the Park Service to the City. Because the city does such a good job on everything else that they can totally take over the beach? Nope, it's because a bunch of dog owners are up at arms. ...

When we last left the bonfire debate at Ocean Beach, it was looking like there was going to be a crack down. Considering we have friends who went down to the beach over the weekend to burn some Christmas trees, we don't think anything has happened as of yet. Well, it looks like a compromise is set to take place as officials are in talks with "bonfire advocates" to build about twenty fire rings where bonfires could be held. ...

It's looking like a wet weekend as we got a major storm headed our way. Throw in some cold temperatures and it's looking like it's the kind of weekend to stay in, wear pajamas, and catch up on "Arrested Development" repeats on G4. How bad does it sound? Says a weather service guy: "We're looking for winter to step through the door sometime on Friday," The storm will also bring with it big swells and whatnot so the only people who will psyched on the weekend will be surfers. ...

Less than an hour north of the City, a lonely wedge of land juts out into the teeth of the Pacific swell. Almost completely separated from the Marin mainland by the grinding force of the San Andreas Fault (SAF), the Point Reyes Peninsula is a focal point for all kinds of natural forces.

Your occasional roundup of protests around the Bay. Photoblogger Thomas Hawk passed along this gorgeous shot of ferry workers protesting the National Park Service's decision to launch a ferry service to Alcatraz with anti-union Hornblower Yachts. Go to the Indybay site and check out their pictures of the ferry drill team! Extra bonus: Frank Chu in the background. Two strikers outside Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley were injured in protests today -- one striker was pepper-sprayed and another struck by a car. The strikers claim that the injuries were caused by security workers, but the hospital claims that a cleaning woman trying to get to work was the pepper-sprayer (but say nothing about the getting hit by a car thing.) No one was injured enough to need to go to (presumably another) hospital, though. And SF children's advocates rallied outside City Hall yesterday, with suitcases as props, to protest how San Francisco pressures middle class families to move out. Only 14.5% of the city is under 18 (from 25% in 1960. Children make up 27% of the state), 62% of families leaving the city are poor or middle-class, and 64% of families leaving SF are families of color. Picture of the ferry workers by Thomas Hawk...

Turns out that the man who the US Park Service found throwing up by the side of the road in the Marin Headlands had a dead body in the trunk of his car. Suspect Scott McAlpin had been stalking and threatening his ex-girlfriend for over three years. McAlpin had been in jail sporadically (most recently last week, for failing to show up to a meeting of his anti- domestic violence class) but was allowed to go free after saying his grandmother was sick. Will the nightmare in Orinda ever end? Distraught residents are now worried that the deer shot last week is not actually the deer that's been attacking their dogs. One man, who witnessed the deer threatening his Jack Russell terrier, says he thinks the deer that was shot was too small. "It was not the same buck," he said. "I am concerned about the neighbors. The Department of Fish and Game is giving the community a false sense of security." Fish and Game says that the deer they shot was the correct one because it had dog bite marks on its ears. We'll see if further attacks are reported. And the SFPD is asking if anyone has any information about the beating of local artist Barry Nielsen, who was found in a coma on Bryant and Mariposa last Friday night. Nielsen was attending a friend's Open Studio event at Studio 212. ...

Today's Examiner somewhat sensationally announces that "Sunset District neighbors say they are paying the price for out-of-control weekend bonfires at Ocean Beach, complaining that the rowdy parties have spilled out onto local streets and caused dozens of car break-ins and numerous acts of vandalism." Blame for this issue has been placed on the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, the branch of the National Park Service responsible for Ocean Beach. As we are a resident......