We don't usually read the Op Ed pages of the Chronicle, because it's always either rehashed columnists from other papers or something like "give birth control pills to deer in Point Reyes" -- but can you believe it? The Chron actually got someone local to write about a local issue today -- if we're going to build out the MUNI underground, why not actually build it out and have a subway that runs to Fisherman's......

An unidentified person was shot and killed on the 1600 block of Russell in Berkeley last night, brining the city's murder tally to three. (The much larger city of San Francisco, BTW, is at 14.) The Chron goes on to report: The slaying comes a little more than a week after Brandon Terrell Jones, 29, of Berkeley was shot and killed on the 1500 block of Harmon Street, about seven blocks away. No arrests......

We'll 'fess up. We haven't been to the Cow Palace since the 2005 Tattoo Expo. With that said, we're a bit torn with how to feel about the possibility of the Cow Palace being demolished. With such historical events as the Beatles playing there and John F. Kennedy speaking to the masses about starting the Peace Corp, on that hand alone, we'd hate to see this place go. The other hand, however, has to admit......

The Chron got all investigative reporting today and discovered that after getting raises in 2002, the Board now meets less than when they did before the raise. Let's see...more money...less work hours...how do we get that job?...

It's that time of the year for all the big papers to weigh in on their choice for President and yesterday, the Chron weighed in and announced that they are going to support the guy who gives pretty, pretty speeches. You know, the Muslim dude who doesn't pledge allegiance to the flag, and just might be on the downlow: Barry Hussein Obama. And, yes, we know most of that stuff comes for a vicious, nasty email smear that's been going around and isn't in any way true, but come on, you gotta let us have some fun....

Got that parapluie? The Chron reports that the skies are going to open up starting tomorrow, with not one, not two, but three separate weather systems barreling on in from Alaska. They're expecting 2-4 inches of rain in the city, possibly up to 8 inches in the hills, and a "paralyzing" amount of snow in the Sierras. There's also the possibility of flooding, so if your house is prone to it, pick up some......

Uh oh. According to the cats over at the Chron, an "18-page 'Emergency Procedures' manual, written in 2006, spells out what zookeepers, guards and even the receptionist in the main office are supposed to do if a 'Siberian tiger is out of its enclosure' or any other dangerous animal escapes." (It's always the receptionist's fault, isn't it? The fall guys of the modern world, really.) Basically, such emergency procedures as a "Code One" call,......

While the pairing seems unlikely (despite San Francisco being the "Paris of the West"), the Legion of Honor has received the, uh, honor of hosting the Marie-Antoinette exhibit. The show specifically focuses on Petit Trianon—Marie-Antoinette's personal retreat in Versailles—as well as the life and times of the lady herself. Paintings, furniture and anything else not bolted down in her house have been flown over here for display while the "cottage" (ahem) is being renovated.......

Hey, a local 12 year old from Foster City just won the world chess championship for the boys 12 and under age bracket. Champ Daniel Naroditsky won 9 games, lost 1, and played to a draw with the previous number 1 ranked preteen male. The Chron was unable to talk to him because of the time difference in Turkey (where the championships were held), but Daniel's proud father reports that Daniel's first question after......

Someone else viewed as unbeatable has a hail-Mary opponent from the progressive left -- and we're not just talking about Gavin Newsom and Chris Daly! That's right -- the stridently anti-war soldier's mom Cindy Sheehan has declared her candidacy against San Francisco's House representative, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. Sheehan says she's running because Pelosi didn't move to impeach Bush by July 23. She's running as an independent and, along with the anti-war thing,......

The Chron, giving you the news from the animal point of view! They settled the Alameda County garbage strike lockout! After a nine-hour mediation, Oakland mayor Ron Dellums announced late yesterday night that all the parties had managed to resolve the four-week dispute. No one can disclose the details, but the union will vote on whether to accept the proposal this Saturday. If the union approves the deal, regular garbage pickup could resume as early......

Hey foodies! We've got a giveaway for you! Wanna grab dinner at Michelin-rated Maverick with Yahoo food columnist Eric Gower, the Breakaway Cook? What's a Breakaway Cook? Well, Gower defines a Breakaway Cook as one making easy home cooking including ingredients and techniques from around the globe. Miso-flavored mashed potatoes? Poached eggs with green tea-infused salt? Why not? The Chron says they taste great. Salon.com's got passes for one lucky winner to attend the dinner......

The Chron's Beth Spotswood lands a most delicious photo: a pre-Mayoral Gavin Newsom poured into a baseball uniform. Oh my. Well, then. (Not sure if this has been around, but it's the first time we've seen it, and clearly worth some sort of revival.) Does he suck at America's favorite pastime? Yes. (As do we.) Does he fill out a baseball uniform nicely? Yes. Oh yes. (A very special thanks to Spotswood for the......

There's two stories about BART today and while they have nothing in common, both are still noteworthy. So we'll start with the bad then move to the good. ...

When we talked to Phil Bronstein, the publisher of the San Francisco Chronicle, a few weeks back, he told us that "the Chronicle will continue to be packed with talented journalists who will keep providing what (SFist) Rita called 'an essential public service.'"...

YES!!!! Thank you, CUIP-SF, for passing along your YouTube clip of the guy singing his pro Ed Jew version of Madonna's Borderline at the public comment session of yesterday's Board of Supervisors meeting! Thank you thank you thank you!!! The Chron's Local News Blog's got a clip up too. Hooray!......

--Local photog Thomas Hawk gets assaulted for taking pictures -- again. [Thomas Hawk's Digital Connection, via the SFist tips line. update: From last year! Sorry! Keep those tips fresh, folks!] --C.W. Nevius didn't start the fire. [The Chron.] --Republicans busted by SF State for stomping on Muslim flags with the word "Allah" written on them are now suing. Oh, that's rich. [CBS 5.] --You thought Ed Jew Borderline was awesome? If that was Madonna,......

--Our city rules. [Examiner.] --Today's Matt Gonzalez Mayoral Candidate Magic Eight-Ball reading: Maybe yes. [Left in SF.] --The Punk Rock Sideshow at the Hemlock is hosting a benefit concert next Monday (July 16th) for Roisin Isner, the girl hit by the firecracker on July 4th. It'll feature a lot of all-girl bands. We're wishing you the best, Roisin! [Hemlock Tavern, via All Shook Down] --Do you play the piano? Paul Hogarth wants to talk......

Roisin Isner, who is a drummer in a punk band called Tinkture, was the victim of a stray firework. The Chron article is unclear about what type of firework it was or who may have done it -- but there is a letter purported to come from Isner's father floating around the Internet that fills in (at least his opinions on) those details. For now, the article at least confirms that Isner was seriously injured by a stray explosive that detonated near her right hand....

--Picture of a woman collecting bottles from people in the iPhone line by reader zombie. Thanks for sending them in, zombie! [ZombieTime.] --Four murders in San Francisco this weekend, 10 murders throughout the Bay Area. One guy was stabbed in the back at Columbus and Union (by Washington Square Park). [Chron.] --Spotted: Gavin Newsom and Jennifer Siebel on a dinner date at the Slanted Door last night. [from a reader!] --The Chron Sunday Styles......

--A guy jumped onto the field to say hi to Barry Bonds yesterday. Arrested, drunk. [The Chron photo pool, the Snitch.] --They're looking on the Oregon coast now for the missing Alameda County woman and her friend the priest. It's been three weeks. [The Chron.] --Alamo Square was cordoned off this afternoon after gunfire on McAllister Street hit a motorist in the head. [ABC 7.] --There were also shootings at Webster and Rose and Div......

We got these great pictures of the iPhone debut at the Apple Store in Union Square from Matt Johnson, a visiting staffer from our sister site Phillyist. Hope you had a nice time in San Francisco, Matt! The Chron reports that there were over 200 people in line, but you didn't actually have to wait in line to get one -- the last person in line got in a couple minutes before 6 and......

--Apple iPhone madness begins! That's a picture of the line in SF yesterday night by photo genius Steve Rhodes, who reported around 60 people in line by midnight. We're hoping to have more pictures of the madness starting at 6 p.m. today by tomorrow! [Steve's Flickr picture; Justin.tv video footage; Gizmodo; the Chron; the Merc News; the Trib; CBS 5.] --No one will say who bought Carole Migden her billboards. [SFBG Politics Blog.] --Hey, not......

--One person is dead after a Caltrain hit a car in Palo Alto this afternoon. [CBS 5, Merc News.] --The Lauryn Hill show sucked. [The Chron, All Shook Down, the Inside Bay Area Buzz blog.] --What's Berkeley going to do after this Supreme Court ruling? [The Trib.] --Blogging from the iPhone line in Walnut Creek. [Contra Costa Times.] --A fight over a local grad student's blog post about racial and class divisions on MySpace and......

Matier and Ross have both our obsessions covered in tomorrow's column! (The column's dated for tomorrow's paper, but went live this evening which is why this is going up now.) First off: Ed Jew! The Chron finally runs the story that accompanied the pictures of them being denied access to Ed Jew's alleged shower in his flower store from last week that were taken down. Alas, the pictures don't make another appearance, but M&R......

We're already getting tired of this story. Can we please get back to the Ed Jew investigations? The only coverage we're enjoying is Bad Reporter's! (We're enjoying Bad Reporter's coverage very, very much, though. "No oxygen: He could die.") Here's the latest in Daly Fight 2007: --Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier is going to reintroduce a code of conduct for behavior before the Board of Supes. You may remember she introduced a motion to censure Daly for......

--Gavin Newsom angrily denies Chris Daly's cocaine allegations, calls them "sleazy," and calls for everyone in the Board of Supes to condemn them. Tom Ammiano says he thought it was one of Daly's better speeches. [The Chron (and audio clip), CBS 5 (with video of Daly at the meeting and Newsom's denial), ABC 7 (also with video), Fog City, Beyond Chron, Examiner, SF Sentinel. Watch the video from SFGov here, around item 36.] --Your Two......

What's Ed Jew doing today, now that he's been excused from jury duty? This has got to be the first time anyone's been trying to get San Francisco jury duty, ever. --The Chron's got the news on the City Attorney's quo warranto petition. Among the tidbits revealed: Ed Jew's wife has been taking a deduction on the Burlingame house as her primary residency for San Mateo County tax purposes -- and, hey, remember how......

--Dog culture in San Francisco. [The Chron.] --Naked protestors embracing trees in Oakland. [KGO 7; more pictures at the Chron] --Teen shot in the Mission Saturday night. [the SFist tips line -- other links here.] --There's lots of accidents on the 80/880 interchange. [Oakland Trib.] --What happened to that con artist who pretended to be a track star at Palo Alto High and then at Princeton? [SJ Merc News.] --Trial starts tomorrow for the......

Quick, what was yesterday? Besides a lovely day -- it was also the deadline for Ed Jew to respond to the City Attorney with additional documentation of his residency. Did he do it? No! Jew failed to produce any of the requested documents, and also refused to submit to an in-person interview. His attorney, Steve Gruel, says it's because any statements he gives could be used against him in the criminal proceedings. Wasn't that true......