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Did Michelle Obama Inspire You to Volunteer?

Brock Keeling — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:30:00 GMT

As we pointed out, First Lady Michelle Obama was in town yesterday to promote voulenteering. You know, working for a good cause pro bono? Donating your time and elbow grease Similar to writing for a blog? That stuff. Anyway, what we want to know is, did she inspire you to give back to your community?

We would be lying if we said 'maybe.'

Before hanging out with rocker John Bon Jovi and confirmed bachelor Matthew McConaughey at Moscone Center later in the evening, she delivered this speech at Bret Harte School. (Thanks, Eye on Blogs.)

Sean Penn's Oscar Speech

Brock Keeling — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 09:44:46 GMT

Since most of you think you're too smart to watch the Academy Awards, do let us cram them down your throat this morning. Especially since San Francisco got a major tip of the hat at last night's "excellence in cinema" awards orgy.

Here were have Penn's acceptance speech for Best Actor in Milk. And, really, it's kind of cool. In addition to making a plea for gay rights, the local thespian gives a brilliant shout out to the "signs of hatred" taht attendees saw as their Prius and SUV Hybrids approached the Kodak Theater.

Thank you. Thank you. You commie, homo-loving sons-of-guns. I did not expect this, but I, and I want it to be very clear, that I do know how hard I make it to appreciate me often. But I am touched by the appreciation and I hoped for it enough that I did want to scribble down, so I had the names in case you were commie, homo-loving sons-of-guns, and so I want to thank my best friend, Sata Matsuzawa. My circle of long-time support, Mara, Brian, Barry and Bob. The great Cleve Jones. Our wonderful writer, Lance Black. Producers Bruce Cohen and Dan Jinks.
And particularly, as all, as actors know, our director either has the patience, talent and restraint to grant us a voice or they don't, and it goes from the beginning of the meeting, through the cutting room. And there is no finer hands to be in than Gus Van Sant. And finally, for those, two last finallies, for those who saw the signs of hatred as our cars drove in tonight, I think that it is a good time for those who voted for the ban against gay marriage to sit and reflect and anticipate their great shame and the shame in their grandchildren's eyes if they continue that way of support.

Breaking Muni News is Mostly a Bunch of Blah Blah Blah

Matt Baume — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 11:50:40 GMT

Gavin: Nat is as frustrated as everybody else. We want change on the margins. Eliminating bus stops. The line I take down polk never has more than 10 people; It takes 10 minutes. We will eliminate bus stops.
Nat: This journey is complex, out of the box. Transformation process. Ontime performance, environmental issues.

Judy Kirshbaum: As program manager of Transit Effectiveness Project, I'll be doing more community outreach. Six more workshops coming up with public.

Our take on all this: it sounds like a good start. Eliminating stops is a great idea; eliminating entire lines would be even better. Muni's always tried to accomplish more than it's able to; and so just like anyone whose to-do list is unmanageable (or like Apple before the return of Steve), Muni needs to delegate some of its bloat to someone else, eliminate the bullshit, and focus on its core competency of moving people from one place to another.

But here's what we'd like someone to cut: lengthy, meaningless, buzzwordy speeches by officials that are just grandiose daydreams instead of specific promises. Just do the damn study, give us the damn findings, and then make the damn changes.

really

Coitus Interruptus: Sean Penn's Kucinich Speech at SFSU

Brock Keeling — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 16:57:01 GMT

Filled with a combustible mix of conceit and twink rage, Leigh Wolf, hot piece of ass and President of the College Republicans at SFSU, interrupted Sean Penn's Dennis Kucinich-endorsement speech on Friday. Basically, he quietly held up a sign that (incorrectly) whined about Sean "supporting ~~the moral majority's~~ America's Enemies, " or something inane like that. Meaning to impress someone more than make an important or clear statement, Wolf's protest... oh, who knows? But we now plan on committing acts of sodomy, having an abortion or two, and assaulting Patricia Heaton just to piss him off. And for giggles.

But the real story here is the minor scuffle Wolf gets into with an equally fine Kucinich supporter. While not a full on wrestling match, the confrontation got our blood pumping nevertheless. It seems that Brian Rutledge (according to YouTube) tried to squelch Wolf's silent protest by confronting him during Penn's speech. And by "confronting him," we mean "getting hard for each other." Why, just look at the humidity between the two Boys Gone Wild at 1:25. They're practically exchanging fluids before they realize that they're in front of an audience, then self-consciously pulling back. So Maurice. So hot.

Penn, of course, played it cool the entire time. (So, can we be in your movie now? No? OK, fine.)

Thanks, Tabby, for sending this our way.