Curiosities, quirks, oddites, and items from around the Bay and beyond

The California foothills are alive with "extremely high levels of lead, arsenic and asbestos."

*****

Russian gajillionaire pledges to financially support rotting historic pile Fort Ross.

*****

"Goooooooooal!" is the word at Civic Center.

*****

"On and on they go. Soon they will sprout beards and their hair will grow down their backs, and their tennis whites will yellow and then rot off their bodies. And still they will stand out there on Court 18, belting aces and listening as the umpire calls the score. Finally, I suppose, one of them will die."

*****

The gayest ice cream ever?

*****

Shocker: White shoes not such a good idea on a crowded dance floor.

*****

Straight bears: newfound allies or cuddly cockteasers?

*****

The music of the sun out-blasts THX any day.