EDITORIAL Police Chief George Gascón has asked for more authority to crack down on rogue cops, and has vowed to clean up the small handful of bad actors who are giving the department an ugly reputation for violence and abuse. But before San Franciscans are going to trust the chief, he's got to show some evidence that he's serious — and cleaning up the mess that is Southern Station's crackdown on nightlife would be a great place to start.Read more »

EDITORIAL As the Planning Commission prepares to vote March 18 on a pointless and overly large condominium complex next to the Transamerica Pyramid, let us take a moment to look at who would benefit from the project's approval. Read more »

City of Life and Death (Lu Chuan, China, 2009) There have been a number of recent works about the "rape of Nanking," but perhaps none tackles the brutal nature of Nanjing's fall with as much beauty as City of Life and Death. Shot in striking black and white, the film depicts the invasion of China's capital by Japanese forces from a number of points of view, including that of a Japanese soldier. Read more »

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Information is power. But too often, those with political power guard public documents and information from the journalists, activists, lawyers, and others who seek it on the people's behalf. So every year, we at the Guardian honor those who fight for a freer and more open society by highlighting the annual winners of the James Madison Freedom of Information Awards, which are given by the Northern California chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

This year's winners are:

Beverly Kees Educator AwardRead more »