Mayor Gavin Newsom says that one of his "top priorities is to ensure that every San Franciscan has a safe and happy New Year. Riding Muni is a smart and green way to ring in the new year." (Thanks, Gavin!) And with a firm flick of his wrist, this New Year's Eve, starting at 8 p.m., Muni will be free all night, which is about what it's worth. The free rides come to a......

Everyone's behaving a little bit funny this weekend, and it's throwing the city's transit into a tizzy. An absolute tizzy! We haven't been this tizzied in MONTHS. First, there's Critical Mass. Lots of people firmly believe that something is be gained by proving that bicyclists are just as capable of causing gridlock and frustration as motorists, and they'll be doing just that ... um ... yesterday. Sorry about the late notice. Then there's a pilgrimage......

Photo of Union Street repaving...

-The world's creepiest man, John Mark Karr, was brought in for questioning by the SFPD because on his way to a press conference announcing the dismissal of child pornography charges, he stopped his limo to go stare into the windows of an elementary school....

Since we wrote so much about the Great Booze Brouhaha of '06, we decided to check things out for ourselves. So we grabbed a few friends, watched the epic US/Italy game at Gino & Carlos, and then headed off to check out the Precious Cheese North Beach Festival. First off, we would like to report that getting booze was not a problem. Not a problem at all. We, in fact, quote a friend of ours who we ran into: "mumble...mumble...mumble...I'm so heated!" We can also report that the bars were buzzing, the liquor stores selling, and the drunks drinking. In fact, according to the Examiner, the liquor stores made out like bandits as everyone took the proposed liquor ban as an excuse to BYOB the thing (no link to the article due to excessive suckage on part of the Examiner's Web site). Which probably explains all the people drinking in places they supposedly weren't supposed to be drinking. But we can't really say that Gavin's Great Compromise really worked out. ...

Okay, so we admit to confusion on our end about all of this. Hell, we admit that everyone appears slightly confused about this too as every story we've read says different things. Regardless, the compromise that was reached to keep the North Beach Jazz Festival knee-deep in booze, or at least knee-deep in booze only in special sections, also includes this weekend's North Beach Festival. Err, we mean the Precious Cheese North Beach Festival as that is it's official name, being selected over other choices such as the "Precocious Cheese Festival," the "Better than the Average Bear Gnocchi Fest" and-- our fave-- the "Persnickety Garlic Romp." ...

When we last left new Department of Building Inspectors Amy Lee, she had to put the big freeze on remodeling her house because "somebody" appealed her permit to build. The appeal came after she had already started so a family that was basically living in whatever parts of the house hadn't been worked on, had to continue living that way while the appeal process worked it's way through. As Beyond Chron put it: "There will be no Christmas tree at the Lee’s house this season, as there is no room." Well, Christmas is coming to Amy, her family, and Tiny Tim Lee this year because yesterday, the Board of Appeals rejected the appeal and the renovation can continue. ...

A weekly peer into the San Francisco bar scene through a big pair of coke bottle-thick beer goggles. Submitted as usual by barrespondent Drew. Some people complain that we don't get down to the Marina enough. Totally guilty as charged. And this is even after assurance from residents that it's not all backwards baseball caps, sorority get-togethers and small-plates restaurants. Yes, the Marina probably does get a bad rep from those of us trying......

This just in -- a Sacramento jury has found Alex Fagan Jr. not guilty in the Fajitagate trial. The jury found him innocent of two felony assault charges and hung on the misdemeanor assaults. Meanwhile, those of you getting a little Mexican food on Union Street better step lively. ...

We know . . . that doesn't sound very "-purist," now does it? We must confess -- we weren't looking for coffee the day we bought these beans. In fact, we weren't even looking for chocolate, our second-favorite "bean-based" substance. We, in fact, were in Cow Hollow seeking the services of a uniquely gifted tailor, one who could show Rumpelstiltskin a thing or two. Imagine our surprise to stumble across CocoaBella Chocolates (2102 Union......