Hey there, folks. You know what blows, and not in a good way? Being afraid to speak in class. It's dreadful, and can have longterm effects. So it is with great empathy--far too much empathy, sadly--that we bring to you yesterday's article in the New York Times concerning a stuttering college student whose professor asked him to shut up. (Richard Perez-Pena's "Stutterer Speaks Up in Class; His Professor Says Keep Quiet"). more ›

If you come across a prosthetic leg featuring an Oakland Raiders design somewhere on the black market, it belongs to Oakland resident Darryl Turner. Turner filed a police report and wrote to KTVU with his story in hopes that the leg can be recovered. He said he briefly left the leg in his gated front yard on the afternoon of Saturday, February 12, before taking a quick ride around the block on a four-wheeler he'd been repairing. The leg has little resale value and was custom fit for Turner, so it won't do the thief much good. more ›

Before next Thursday presses thankful vibes upon us all, let's take a moment to talk about some of the more egregious Thanksgiving dinner pet peeves. Perhaps we can nib them in the bud this year? Let's begin: more ›

San Francisco's typically crisp and glacial weather will be intruded upon this weekend by vile, stinky, hot weather. (Take cover, fellow gingers!) How can you avoid the sun's violent wrath? Let's see: more ›

Ted of BAGeL Radio posted a list of handy tips for those of you trekking down to Coachella. Some helpful advice while sojourning in the glamorous Coachella Valley? Ted suggests, among other things, "As soon as you park, MARK THE LOCATION IN YOUR iPHONE," "Don't drink alcohol until the sun goes down -- you will be tired enough after hours and hours in the heat," "Bring cash for food, water, merch, brownies." Check out the entire list at BAGeL Radio. Also, remember: hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Moisture is your friend. more ›

During today's Day of Statewide Action for Public Education rallies, things are sure to get heated. And while many a protester foolishly thinks getting arrested or vandalizing amounts to something other than looking bad-ass, most of us know better. (Kids will be in attendance at many of today's events, so keeping your wits sharp and your fists to yourself is a must!) more ›

The latest tip on SFist's contribute page informed us that the The San Francisco Office of Vital Records has a notice on their website regarding a recent break-in at their office: "As a result of large amounts of certified paper being stolen, this office is unable to produce birth and/or death certificates." The paper will be restocked on Tuesday. At first we thought actual birth and death certificates were stolen, but it sounds like just the special paper was. Although fraudulent activities can still be had after such a theft, we're glad that San Francisco's vital records are still safe and sound. more ›

As Laughing Squid pointed out today, if there's one thing the internets needs more of it's cats. Lots of them too. Which is why Karen Nichols at Catster came up with the top five tips for getting the best shots out of your furry feline friends. Nichols suggests shooting in natural light, no flash; using a fast shutter speed (more details = more eeee!); getting low to the floor at the cat's level (optimal for paw shots and other precious action you might normally miss up high); and being generous with the treats and toys (which you should be doing anyway). Be sure to check out how to get the most out of your cat. more ›

Hooters, the restaurant chain famous for employing waitresses with visibly erotic bustlines, is in hot water this morning. It seems eight former Hooters employees filed a class-action lawsuit against the boobs-and-food eatery, claiming that "management systematically stole their tips at four Bay Area restaurants." (Which, if you know anyone in the service industry, is rumored to be a practice not as uncommon as it should be.) And this wasn't some scant change either; the ex-Hooter employees say that the management theft "amounted to about $40 per day per restaurant over the past four years." more ›

SFist received the following hot tip this morning. more ›

As the preternaturally calm Brandon Wong rose this morning to take in the sunrise over by Anza in the Richmond, he saw something in the east that didn't make sense.

"It's just bizarre," he wrote, "I thought it was a volcano."
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In lieu of calling 911 or you local police station when you need to report a crime anonymously, now you can do so via text messaging. And it's too easy! At least according this article in today's Examiner it is. A brilliant idea, right? more ›

Oh my, today's Police Blotter in the Examiner is satisfying. First off, some family in the Inner Richmond Outer Sunset got into a huge, bloody fight over rice preparation, wherein the father was arrested for domestic violence. That alone is priceless. (Note to wife: rent , the feel-good movie of the '80s. It will teach you how to effectively deal with these kinds of situation.) more ›

Things are getting prickly over in the anonymous tips section -- which, as you all well know, should be reserved for delicious tidbits of info only -- so we moved the discussion over here. more ›

Either under the table for protection or hiding from someone sporting a fiendish fannypack-khakis combo, Catherine Kilkenny of San Jose's Willow Glen looks scared as all hell, doesn't she? Many people were. Last night's 5.6 earthquake, which we didn't feel but hear the majority of you did, tore nerves to shreds, shook the ground, and sent magazines flying to the floor. In a little over 12 hours, it managed to cause quite the stir.... more ›