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Brava Theater introduces banned Pakistani political satire 'Burqavaganza' to an American audience

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Small Business Awards 2013: sexy shots to Chinatown suppers. Plus, artMRKT versus ArtPadSF, the future of garbage, surf tunes, and more.  Articles Online | Digital Edition

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The lies of war

03.19.13 - 1:11 pm | Tim Redmond |
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I was listening to Democracy Now this morning, and the introduction to a segment on the tenth anniversary of the Iraq War started out with such an honest, accurate, straightforward statement that I didn't even think about it until later:Read more »

There was no rape episode on 'Leave It To Beaver' [UPDATED]

03.19.13 - 1:06 pm | Caitlin Donohue |
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UPDATE: Kershner has added this addendum to the piece

 Some people seem to have misunderstood my point. Mays presented himself to adults far differently than to his friends. I used a TV character many people would remember to illustrate the insincerity of his text to the victim’s father. The string of text messages linked below amply demonstrates how abominably he acted toward the victim, who deserves everyone’s support.

Unfortunately, the use of that character as reference is entirely in keeping with the rest of the media's apparent tendency to recast the rapes as youthful indiscretions. What was Eddie Haskell's most egregious crime? Anyway, poor choice of metaphor, blog post stands. 

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I'll tell you how not to start your morning: like I did. I crushed my soul catching up on the Steubenville rape case. While still in bed. Really dumb. Read more »

A decade later, troubling questions about war and democracy remain

03.19.13 - 12:29 pm | Steven T. Jones |
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Ten years ago, during my second week working here at the Guardian, San Franciscans rose up to protest the Iraq War and shut down the city. Five years ago, I revisited that moment and its impact on people's sense of democratic empowerment, writing this Maggie-award-winning essay. Today, on the anniversary of the start of that long war, it's hard to imagine a critical mass of San Franciscans being so organized and engaged with a cause larger than ourselves.Read more »

Acclaimed director Sally Potter on redheads, the 1960s, and 'Ginger and Rosa'

03.19.13 - 10:51 am | Cheryl Eddy |
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It's the 1960s, nuclear war is a real possibility, and nuclear-family war is an absolute certainty, at least in the London house occupied by Ginger (Elle Fanning), her emotionally wounded mother (Mad Men's Christina Hendricks), and her narcissistic-intellectual father (Alessandro Nivola).

In Ginger and Rosa, a downbeat coming-of-age tale from Sally Potter (1992's Orlando), Ginger's teenage rebellion quickly morphs into angst when her BFF Rosa (Beautiful Creatures' Alice Englert, daughter of Aussie director Jane Campion) wedges her sexed-up neediness between Ginger's parents. Hendricks (playing the accordion — just like Joan!) and Annette Bening (as an American activist who encourages Ginger's political-protest leanings) are strong, but Fanning's powerhouse performance is the main focus — though even she's occasionally overshadowed by her artificially scarlet hair.

Ahead of the film's release Fri/22, I spoke with Potter about teen drama, redheads, and more.

San Francisco Bay Guardian Many, many films tell coming-of-age stories and tales of female friendship. What sets Ginger and Rosa apart from the rest?

Read more »

Last gasp ends the sordid Mirkarimi saga

03.18.13 - 5:22 pm | Steven T. Jones |
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A San Francisco judge has dismissed a defamation lawsuit against Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi and his wife, Eliana Lopez, which is likely to be the last step in an ugly and protracted political, legal, and administrative battle stemming from Mirkarimi grabbing Lopez's arm during an argument on Dec. 31, 2011.Read more »

Pizza delivery drones?

03.18.13 - 4:22 pm | Rebecca Bowe |
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Well, this is intriguing. According to an event announcement for an upcoming talk this Wednesday, there are some bizarre new developments on the "innovation in San Francisco" front. "New plans are being launched to help entrepreneurs launch their dreams," the San Francisco Technology Democrats informs us, "from mobile apps to making pizza delivery drones available."

Drones? For pizza delivery? Shouldn't someone warn the American Civil Liberties Union?Read more »

Alt-folk singer Michelle Shocked goes on homophobic rant, Yoshi's says she won't be back

03.18.13 - 12:35 pm | Emily Savage |
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UPDATE: now with audio of the incident. 

What is going on with Michelle Shocked? The Texas alt-folk singer-songwriter, formerly known as a leftist-feminist relic of the late 1980s/early '90s, apparently went on a homophobic rant at one of her two Yoshi's shows this past Sunday in San Francisco.

As the Bay Area Reporter notes, Shocked, who seems to have found religion in the past decade, told the Yoshi's crowd: “When they stop Prop 8 and force priests at gunpoint to marry gays, it will be the downfall of civilization and Jesus will come back.” Read more »

Reports of new director appointment at SF arts museums follow critical NYT piece

03.18.13 - 12:26 pm | Rebecca Bowe |
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A report in the New York Times this past weekend highlighted troubles at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (FAMSF), which were also outlined in twin reports in the Guardian two weeks ago. Read more »

Author (and former strip-club DJ) Dee Simon talks 'Play Something Dancy'

03.18.13 - 11:13 am | Cheryl Eddy |
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Former SF resident Dee Simon wrote a very funny, very raunchy book of short stories about his experiences spinning tunes at local strip clubs; it's called Play Something Dancy. Clearly I had to talk to him and get the inside scoop.

San Francisco Bay Guardian Standard first question: how did you become a strip club DJ?

Dee Simon I moved to SF in 2000 to pursue a career in broadcasting. Unable to land a paying radio job, I started hosting Rampage Radio at KUSF 90.3FM and eventually found a job in production at The Industry Standard magazine. The Standard was very successful for about a year and then folded once the crash happened. I was unemployed for about eight months until that fateful day I ran into my weed dealer who hooked me up with an audition at a club on Broadway, which launched my illustrious five-year career as a DJ at clubs across the city.

SFBG When you lived in San Francisco, I used to see you at punk and metal shows all the time. Did you ever get to sneak that kind of music into your playlist?

Read more »

Norman Solomon: Ten years ago today: A warfare state of mind

03.18.13 - 3:01 am | Norman Solomon |
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Norman Solomon is co-founder of RootsAction.org and founding director of the Institute for Public Accuracy. His books include “War Made Easy: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death.” He writes the Political Culture 2013 column.

On a plane circling Baghdad in gray dawn light, a little Iraqi girl quietly sang to herself in the next row. “When I start to wonder why I’m making this trip,” Sean Penn murmured to me, “I see that child and I remember what it’s about.”

After the plane landed at Saddam International Airport, we waited in a small entry room until an Iraqi official showed up and ushered us through customs. Soon we checked into the Al-Rashid Hotel. Back in Washington the sponsor of our trip, the Institute for Public Accuracy, put out a news release announcing the three-day visit and quoting Sean: “As a father, an actor, a filmmaker and a patriot, my visit to Iraq is for me a natural extension of my obligation (at least attempt) to find my own voice on matters of conscience.”

With U.S. war drums at feverish pitch, Sean Penn’s sudden appearance in Baghdad set off a firestorm of vilification in American media. Headlines called him “Baghdad Sean”; pundits on cable news channels called him a stooge for Saddam. Read more »

Should bars be open until 4 am?

03.15.13 - 4:56 pm | Tim Redmond |
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State Sen. Mark Leno is introducing a bill that would allow (not require, allow) cities to designate areas where bars could stay open and serve alcohol until 4 am. It's not going to lead to a rampage of all-night drinking -- the bill calls for a three-stage approval system that would allow public input at every step. But it might allow a handful of clubs in the city to stay open later -- something that works just fine in a lot of other places, including most of New York State.Read more »

CPMC deal gets warm welcome despite some shortcomings

03.15.13 - 2:49 pm | Steven T. Jones |
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Even though the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the term sheet for the California Pacific Medical Center's hospital deal this week, comments from the supervisors and the general public indicated there are still a few outstanding issues before the project returns to the board for final approval, probably in July.Read more »

MUNI switchbacks disproportionately affect low-income and outlying areas

03.15.13 - 2:40 pm | Rebecca Bowe |
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MUNI switchbacks may be on the decline overall, but when you zero in on who bears the brunt of these annoying service disruptions, it becomes clear that not all transit passengers are created equal. In fact, the vast majority of these annoying service disruptions were concentrated in just three locations this past January, according to San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) data.Read more »

Live Shots: Rich Kidd, Young Galaxy, tween angst, and barbecue at SXSW, Day 3

03.15.13 - 2:11 pm |
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SL Jones at SX704. Photo by Bowerbird Photography.
Rich Kidd at SX704. Photo by Bowerbird Photography.
Concert venue along S. Congress. Photo by Bowerbird Photography.
Lunch at Casa de Luz. Photo by Bowerbird Photography.
La Barbecue three meat sandwich. Photo by Bowerbird Photography.
Residual Kid. Photo by Bowerbird Photography.
Residual Kid. Photo by Bowerbird Photography.
Street vendor selling handmade jewelry on S. Congress. Photo by Bowerbird Photography.
Street musician. Photo by Bowerbird Photography.
Gladys and Maybelle. Photo by Bowerbird Photography.
Telekinesis at Music by the Slice stage. Photo by Bowerbird Photography.
Corb Lund. Photo by Bowerbird Photography.
Guitar Shawn. Photo by Bowerbird Photography.
Kelly Willis. Photo by Bowerbird Photography.
Dancers at the Kelly Willis and Bruce Robison show. Photo by Bowerbird Photography.
Young Galaxy at Music by the Slice stage. Photo by Bowerbird Photography.
14 year old street musician, Sophia, raising money for M.S. and a bike ride from Houston-Austin. Photo by Bowerbird Photography.
Street musician, the Gin Jars. Photo by Bowerbird Photography.
Awesome dude on horse on S. Congress. Photo by Bowerbird Photography.
The famous bats flying into the sunset. Photo by Bowerbird Photography.

Photos and words by Bowerbird Photography

The surrealists employed a method of drawing called the exquisite corpse, where an artist would create an image on a section of paper, fold it back to conceal the image, and then pass on the paper for another artist's contribution. The beautiful monstrosity wasn't revealed until everyone was finished and the paper unfolded.

Walking down South Congress Street during SXSW 2013 yesterday felt like the musical version of an exquisite corpse. Nearly every block had its own outdoor stage, with an alternative country performance across the street from a hard rock band, indie pop music next to honky-tonk, and street musicians in between. It was sonic mayhem. Read more »

Bone, on: Here's the week in sex events

03.14.13 - 4:47 pm | Caitlin Donohue |
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Internet flame wars, naked people in Berkeley, fativism, shamrock-spangled stripper heels. Oh yep, that's this week in sex events. Read more »